A Happy New Year in Perspective
by Caskett Hopeful
Summary: Rick and Kate celebrate the new year and their lives may be changed for ever. Please give it a chance, the summary is really horrible.
1. Chapter 1

Here is a new story for you!

I don't know how long it will be yet, it'll depend on my inspiration and time to write.

I don't own Castle but Christmas is in 4 days so ... if anyone wants to get me something, don't go looking too far ;-)

here is the link to Kate's dress: Shail_

Enjoy!

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Just like every year, Rick Castle was hosting a New Year's Eve party. Just like every year, he couldn't sit still for the week before said party. Just like every year, he wished he could kiss Kate Beckett when the clock strike 12. But unlike every previous year, he would actually be able to do it this year. And he couldn't wait. There wasn't any better way to start the year than having the woman of your dreams in your arms and her lips on yours. The party had been planned for a while now, to be sure that all of his close friends and family could attend. It was being held at the Old Haunt this year. He really didn't want to spend the rest of the week cleaning up his loft. And since Kate had managed to get the first week of 2013 off, he would definitely not waste time cleaning up anything, except her, maybe. And since Meredith would be taking Alexis to Europe and Martha would be on tour to promote her acting school, they would be all alone in the loft. Just the two of them. For a whole week. Alone in the loft …

"CASTLE!"

"Uh, what?" he asked, looking around him to see who was talking. He found Kate looking at him, eyebrow raised.

"Are you ready to go? I'm done with the paperwork until next year." She joked. "What were you thinking about?" she asked as they walked to the elevator, "I had to call three times before you reacted."

"I was thinking about you." He simply said.

"Is it a good thing or a bad one?" she laughed.

"Oh, it's a good thing. A very very good thing, believe me." He answered, pushing her against the wall of the elevator and kissing her passionately.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Wow girl! Does he know what you're wearing for his party?" Lanie exclaimed when Kate got out of her bathroom.

"No. Do you think he'll like it?" she asked, looking at herself in the mirror.

"Like it? You're kidding right? The man is already completely crazy about you, after tonight he might need some medical assistance." Lanie said. "When did you buy it and didn't you show it to me before?"

"I bought it when I went Christmas shopping. It was calling my name, I swear! I didn't have any particular event in mind but it's perfect for tonight and …"

"Wait a minute. You bought it before Christmas and it was still in the bag with the shop logo on it?"

"Yeah, I … uh … I wasn't much home the last few days." Kate explained, blushing slightly and avoiding Lanie's eyes.

"Katherine Beckett, when was the last time you slept in your bed?"

"Uh … I may not have come back here since Christmas Eve …" Kate tried to explain.

"Uh, uh, that's what I thought. And I'm not even going to ask where you were, that would be an insult to my own intelligence. Now, sit down and let me do your hair." Lanie instructed.

While Lanie was doing magic on top of her head, Kate couldn't help but think. Yes, she had stayed at Rick's since Christmas so what? Yes, after work, when she said to the guys she was going home, she was actually going to the loft, so what? She was happy there. Even when he was busy writing locked up in his office or in town for a meeting, she felt happier and more comfortable at the loft than in her own apartment. Maybe it was the spirit of the holidays, maybe it was just her growing up but she didn't care one bit. For once, she was happy and she wasn't scared, and it felt very good. And she had decided that tonight, she was not going to hide her love for Richard Castle. She didn't care if half the precinct would be there, she was going to kiss him at midnight. And certainly even before if she had the occasion. And she didn't care if Gates showed up. She would not let her ruin her perfect New Year's eve.

"Here you go girl, what do you think?" Lanie asked, putting her instruments on Kate's bed.

"Lanie that's wonderful!" she said, looking in the mirror at the semi bun that let curly locks fly around her face. "You should have been a hair dresser, you would have made a fortune. And just so you know, you're doing my hair for my wedding." Kate said before she could help herself.

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?"

"Nothing." Kate said rapidly. "Now come on, Rick said the car would pick us up at 8, and that's in five minutes. We have to go downstairs."

"You're planning on coming back here tonight?" Lanie asked.

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Well, don't you need to bring your stuff to Castle's? Oh, wait a second, you have enough stuff at his place already. That's it right?"

"Yes Lanie, I have clothes and everything I need at Rick. Yes I said I wanted to marry him. And I want to have Castle babies too but can we not do this right now? Please. I just want to have fun tonight and we're getting late." Kate said before leaving the bedroom to go get their coats. She laughed when she heard Lanie say "Where is the Dictaphone when you need one?!"

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

When Kate and Lanie arrived at the Old Haunt, the room was already full with people but there was still space to move around. Kate was looking around for Rick while Lanie had joined Esposito, Ryan and Jenny. She heard a crash and turned her head towards the noise, only to find Rick on all four, an ice bucket spilled around him. Kate couldn't help but laugh as she made her way to him. By the time she got to him, he was back on his feet and trying not to look too shocked when looking at Kate.

"Kate … I … you …uh … wow! You look … wonderful. I … wow!" was all he managed to get out.

"Well, I take it you like the dress Rick." Kate said, smiling at him.

"You look like a sexy goddess. Where did you buy it? I'll buy you the store." Rick continued, looking at her from head to toe. "I so want to kiss you right now!" he whined.

"Then why don't you do it?" she asked.

"Don't tempt me Kate." He all but groaned. "There's half the precinct down here."

"I don't care. I don't want to hide anymore. I just want to live freely and with you. I want everyone to know how much I love you."

She had told him she loved him before. On Christmas morning. It had been the best present he had ever received. So after such a proposition, he didn't hesitate and kissed her passionately, taking her in his arms. When they broke away in desperate need of air, he couldn't help but notice her bare back.

"I think there is a piece missing in your gorgeous dress Miss Beckett." He groaned in her ear, his hands roaming on the skin of her back, making her shiver.

She laughed and moved away from his arms only to notice that the whole bar was looking at them, Victoria Gates frozen on the stairs leading to the bar.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to everyone who read, favorited, reviewed the first chapter. It was a real Christmas present!**

**I hope you'll enjoy this second chapter!**

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Kate took Rick's hand and led him to the table where Esposito, Ryan, Jenny and Lanie were, movement coming back to the crowd in the Old Haunt little by little.

"Wow, that was quite a show you put on there girl. What's gotten into you?" Lanie asked, handing Kate and Rick the drinks they had ordered for them.

"What, it was just a kiss." She shrugged, sitting down close to Rick, one of his hands migrating on her thigh.

"Well, if 'just a kiss' is like that, I wouldn't want to see you get carried away." Esposito laughed. "You ok writer-boy?"

"Yeah, I'm great. I was just … surprised the say the least." He answered, looking lovingly at Kate. "No more hiding."

"No more hiding." She confirmed, smiling at him. "It's time to start living for real."

The evening went on and to everyone's surprise, the Captain didn't come to see them. She stayed with her husband and the Chief of Detectives.

"Your party is attracting the good crowd, Rick." Kate said, looking at the group of NYPD officials in a corner.

"Well, I put a note on the fridge in the break room saying that everyone was welcome, so everyone is welcome. But I have to admit, I didn't expect her to show up. You sure you're ok with her being here?"

"Yeah, don't worry." Kate said, kissing his cheek quickly. "Even Iron Gates has the right to celebrate the New Year." She said, smiling.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

A few minutes before midnight, everyone had gathered on the dance floor and was dancing 2012 away. When the countdown started, Kate, who had been dancing with Esposito, turned to Rick. He had also ditched his dance partner, Kate didn't even know who she was, and he was walking towards her. They met just as the clock stroke 12 and got lost in each other. This was their first New Year together and it was perfect. They broke apart only when air became an absolute necessity. As they were going to start kissing again, Lanie decided to intervene.

"Hey ho, move writer boy. I need to wish happy New Year to my girl." She said, moving between the two of them and hugging Kate.

After a dance or two, the group was back at their table, talking and laughing. The laughing stopped suddenly when they noticed Victoria Gates walk to their table.

"Good evening detectives, Dr. Parish, Mr Castle. And happy New Year to you all. Detective Beckett, I'll need to see you in my office first thing when you come back from your week off. Now, good night to you all." She said before leaving the bar, her husband waiting for her by the stairs. The group of friends were brought out of their shock when someone broke a glass.

"Well, I think it could have been worse." Rick said, putting his arm around Kate's shoulders and bringing her further in his side.

"At least I still have the week free." she sighed, letting her head fall on Rick's shoulder.

"Don't worry about that, I'll make sure you don't think about it. I planned some … distraction for you this week." he whispered in her ear, making her blush.

Just as she was going to reply, Alexis appeared at the table.

"Hey guys! Happy New Year!"

"Hey Pumpkin! What are you doing here, didn't you have a party?" Rick asked, getting up and hugging her.

"Yeah, but it was not so good, everyone was completely drunk before midnight. So we decided to go on Time Square to see the ball drop and come down here after. You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course we don't mind Alexis." Kate said, "Come on, sit down. Who is your friend here?" she asked, looking at the boy still holding Alexis's hand.

"Oh, this is Max. He's my … boyfriend." she answered, looking at him with a smile.

"Nice to meet you Max." Rick said, shaking his hand. "This is Kate, she's a homicide detective, so are Javier and Kevin here, and Lanie works in a morgue so don't think for an instant that you'll get away with it if you hurt my daughter." he warned.

"Dad!" Alexis said.

"Ok, Ricky, time to take me dancing don't you think?" Kate intervened pushing Rick to the dance floor with her.

"What do you think you were doing back there?" she asked as they started dancing to a slow song.

"What? I'm just trying to protect my daughter." he said.

"She doesn't need protection Rick, she was not in any danger."

"But that boy …"

"Seems perfectly fine to me. Did you see how he looks at her? He's completely in adoration, I don't think you need to worry about him."

"But she's my little girl!" Rick whined.

"She's 19 Rick, you need to let her live a little. If you just embarrass her every time, she'll just stop coming to you. And you don't want that do you?"

"No." he answered, pouting.

"Then you'd better go and apologize to the poor boy, he seemed terrify." Kate laughed, kissing him sweetly as the song ended and they walked to their table.

After a while, after her father had apologized and realized Max was not so bad talking to, Alexis sat next to Kate.

"Hey Kate, do you think we could … talk for a minute? Away from Dad." she asked quietly.

"Sure, come with me." Kate said, leading the young woman to an isolated booth in a corner, hidden from the table they had just left. "Ok, we should be good here. What do you want to talk to me about?"

"Well, tonight, I … I'm staying at Max's and his parents won't be there and …"

"He's not pressuring you, is he?" Kate asked, searching for Max in the room, ready to kill him.

"No, not at all. He's really sweet. But … I don't know, I kind of want to do it … oh my God this is so embarrassing!" Alexis said, hiding her face in her hands.

"Hey, it's normal Alexis. And even if it's embarrassing, that shouldn't stop you from talking about it, to me or to your father." Kate reassured her.

"Oh no, not to Dad. I don't plan on him finding out I'm not a virgin anymore until I tell him I'm pregnant. He would …"

"Freak out? Yes, probably. It's his job, as your father, to freak out for that. It can't be worse than my dad anyway." Kate smiled. "It really wasn't pretty. My mother had to literally drag him out of my room. Well, it may have also been because the boy was still in my bed and scared to death."

"I can't imagine what Dad would do if that happened."

"Don't worry about your Dad. Let me handle him. Just think about yourself."

"But I … I never did it and …"

"And Max already has experience?" Kate finished for her. "Don't worry about that. Just think about what you're feeling. If you want it to happen, let it happen, and let him guide you. But make sure he listens to what you want. If you don't want to do it, or if you change your mind suddenly and he still tries to do it, you call me right away. I'll be there in a few minutes and make him fear the police for the rest of his life. Just make sure you use protection."

"Thank you Kate. Really. It's really nice of you to talk to me. I just … I can't really talk to Gram about it. It would be … very weird and probably more than embarrassing."

"It's ok Alexis. You can come and talk to me whenever you want. About anything. You know that right?"

"Yeah. Thanks anyway. Now I think I'm going to rescue Max from Dad. Too much too soon will probably make him run away." Alexis laughed, getting up.

As the two girls were walking back to their table, Rick met with them.

"Here you are! I was starting to worry. Where did you disappear?" He asked, hugging both his girls.

"We were just talking over there." Kate said.

"What about?" Rick asked once Alexis had left to join Max.

"Girl stuff. Don't worry Castle, your daughter is a big girl and a very intelligent one. Now, how about you take me home? I seem to recall you telling me about some distractions for my week off. Do you think we can get started on that sonner?"

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**So, what did you think of this chapter?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Happy New Year everyone ! May 2013 be wonderful for each and everyone one of you!**

* * *

When Kate woke up in the morning, she felt for Rick in the bed but couldn't find him, which forced her to open her eyes. It was strange. She was usually the first to wake up. She could hear him talk in the kitchen so she decided to join him. Her eyes widened when they fell on the alarm clock. No wonder she was alone in bed, it was 3pm!

When she appeared in the kitchen, she saw that Alexis was talking with her father, a huge smile on her face and bright red cheeks. Apparently she had decided to tell her father about her night. Kate loved how close the two of them were. She never really have that with her father. They were close, of course, and she loved her father but she had been much closer to her mother. And they had both felt it strongly when she was taken from them. She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard Castle.

"Here is Sleeping Beauty. Aren't you the one to tell me it's creepy to stare?" he asked, kissing her when she joined them at the counter.

"It's only creepy when you do it all day, every day." she answered.

"Ok. I have a very important question to ask you and …"

"Dad! let her wake up first." Alexis laughed, seeing that the detective was still half asleep on her stool. "Give her some coffee."

"You've become so bossy since you left for college!" Rick said, handing a warm cup of coffee to Kate, who drank half of it in one go.

"It's not being bossy Dad, it's called having manners."

"She's right Rick. You should always ask guests if they want something to drink before bombarding them with questions... What? Did I say something wrong?" Kate asked, having noticed the strange looks between Rick and Alexis.

"Well, that's sort of what I wanted to talk to you about. We talked about it and… we wondered if …"

"Just ask Rick."Kate laughed.

"Ok. Then, will you move in with me … us?"

She seemed shocked for a few seconds before a huge smile took half of her face. She turned to Alexis.

"Are you ok with that?"

"Of course I am." the girl said, smiling.

"Then yes Rick, I would love to move in with you." Kate said, laughing as Rick hugged her really tight, taking her of the stool she was sitting in and kissing her passionately.

They broke apart only when they heard Alexis clear her throat purposefully and say "Hey! I'm still here you know?"

"Sorry." both adults said, blushing slightly.

"Now, who wants to spend the first day of the year having a movie marathon and eating snacks?" Alexis asked, already walking towards the TV.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

After a few films, Kate asked Rick and Alexis if they wanted to take a walk. Alexis accepted and went to get her coat and shoes while Rick decided to stay in and make dinner for the three of them.

When the girls came back about an hour after they had left, Rick was still in the kitchen, cooking what he had decided would be a New Year and Moving In celebration dinner. When he heard the front door open and his two girls laughing, he couldn't help but smile. When he had told Alexis he was dating Kate, she had not been really happy at first, saying that she could only hurt him. He had been really disappointed in her reaction but apparently a talk with Kate around coffee had calmed her apprehensions. From then on, things had been getting better between the two of them. But ever since Christmas, thing had been … perfect. Alexis seemed to have completely and fully accepted Kate being in his life and he couldn't be happier. He felt he finally had the right to be completely happy. He was brought out of his thoughts when Kate came and hugged him, startling him when she buried her freezing face in his neck.

"What are you making? It smells wonderful."

"It's lasagna. The best celebratory easy-to-make meal. You're freezing, what did you do?"

"Oh, we had a snowball fight in the playground around the corner, and she lost." Alexis answered, a huge smile on her face.

"I did not lose. I let you win. If I had really wanted to win, you'd be a snowman missy." Kate replied, her hands moving under Rick's T-shirt.

"Hey! You have to stop doing that! your hands are cold and your nose is cold." Rick whined, jumping apart from Kate.

"Do we have time to watch another movie before dinner?" Alexis asked, looking at her father.

"Well, we can always start and finish it later. What do you girls want to watch?" Rick asked as he set the timer on the oven and letting himself be dragged to the living room by Kate.

The girls looked at each other and smiled knowingly, both saying "Love Actually!"

"Again? But we already watched it on Christmas Day!" Rick whined, letting himself drop on the couch.

"Hey! You've forced us to watch repeats of Toy Story for a week now, you can watch Love Actually twice." Kate scolded, cuddling against him, draping a blanket around them while Alexis put the DVD in the player.

Once she was settled in her armchair surrounded by her own blanket, she hit play and the film began. After a while, she looked at her dad and Kate. They were in each other's arms, smiling while watching the film. She could see her father's hand move up and down Kate's arm under the blanket and he would smile every time Kate shivered from his touch. It might be cliché but Alexis could swear that she had never seen her father so happy. Of course, he had had girlfriends since Gina but it was never the way it is with Kate. He had changed. He had grown up. And Kate had changed too. She seemed more … free than before. It's as if, finally giving in her feelings for Alexis's father had just lifted some part of the burden she's carrying around. She hadn't been Kate's biggest fan since she disappeared on her father after she was shot, even more when she learned that she had heard about what he said but it was all better now. She really liked Kate. She was more fun than she had expected, but she could also have serious conversation, and she could talk to her about topics she didn't feel comfortable discussing with her father.

Alexis was brought out of her thoughts when the timer of the oven went off, signaling that it was time to eat.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

After a dinner of delicious lasagna and the end of Love Actually, everyone went to bed. When Rick got out of the bathroom, he found Kate sitting cross-legged on his –_their_- bed, seemingly lost in her thoughts. He didn't think much of it at first but when he sat by her he noticed small tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Hey, what's going on?" he asked quietly so as not to startle her.

She looked at him and smiled the most genuine smile he had ever seen coming from her.

"I just realized I didn't go to the cemetery today."

"Oh. I'm sorry, I should have known and …"

"No Rick. You don't understand. I … I'm not sad because I didn't go. I'm not sad at all for that matter. Quite the contrary. I just realized that for the first time in almost fourteen years I didn't feel the need to cry over what I don't have any more, I was too busy thinking about what I do have." she explained, taking his hand in hers.

"And it's a good thing?" he asked, drying her tears.

"It's a very good thing. I'm sure, for the first time in years, she would be proud of me for choosing to dwell on life rather than death. And she would have loved you and Alexis, she would have …" Kate started, trying to calm herself down. "But I'll still go visit her tomorrow, so as not to make her too angry. She was pretty scary when she got angry." Kate laughed, burying herself in Rick's arms. "Will you come with me?" she asked.

"Of course I'll come with you if you want me to. I have to drive Alexis to the airport at 5pm but we can go early in the afternoon if you want."

"Sure. That would be great. Thank you, so much. For everything. I've never felt so alive, so happy in my life, even while my mother was alive."

Rick didn't know how to respond to that, so he simply stayed silent and hugged her, caressing her hair. After a while, he felt her breathing even out. Having her fall asleep on him was not what he had planned to celebrate her moving in with him, but it was better than what he had planned. Having her open up to him like that was more than he had ever dreamed of. He laid her softly on the bed and went to his side of the bed. Once they were settled, he turned off the light and rolled to his side, draping an arm around Kate's waist.

The two of them were startled awake at three in the morning when someone jumped on the bed.

"Ooooohhh Kiiiiiteeeen …" a slurring voice whispered into Kate's ear.

* * *

**So, what did you thinkof this chapter?**


	4. Chapter 4

"What? What's happening?" Kate almost yelled, startled when the person had jumped on them on the bed and whispered something she had not understood in her ear.

Rick had been struggling with the bedside lamp but when it was finally turned on and he saw who was laying on his girlfriend, he just lost it.

"Meredith? What are you doing here? It's … three in the morning!" he said after checking the alarm clock. And then, suddenly, he pushed her out of the bed.

"Rick! Be careful, I think she's drunk." Kate said, kneeling on the bed to look over the edge where Meredith had fallen.

"I am not drunk!" she said, getting up and straightening her clothes. "What's going on here?"

"What's going on? YOU are asking what's going on? You're the one who's jumped on us at three in the morning!" Rick yelled.

"Rick, you're going to wake Alexis up." Kate said, trying to get him to calm down by moving her hand up and down his back.

"What are you doing here?" Meredith asked Kate.

"I live here!" Kate said. "Now, answer the question. What are you doing here?" she asked, using her detective voice.

"Well, I have an audition early in the morning so I took an earlier flight so I could sleep here."

"Well, you can sleep on the couch, or in one of the rooms upstairs but you're certainly not sleeping in MY bed." Kate said. "Now, I have the week off so I would like to sleep."

"But Kitten …"

"Kitten is taken. He's MY Kitten now so back off. And if I ever see you trying something like that again I'll make sure you never enter this loft again. Do you understand?" Kate asked, her face red with rage.

"Sure, whatever. He's gonna throw you away like the others anyway." Meredith shrugged, eyes widening when she saw Kate start to jump on her, only to be restrained by Rick's arms around her waist.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

When Kate walked in the kitchen in the morning, she groaned when she saw Meredith sitting at the kitchen counter. She got two mugs out of the cabinet and turned the coffee maker on, searching for cereals while it was brewing.

"Meredith? What are you still doing here? I thought you had an early audition." Rick said, walking in the kitchen. "It 10." he continued, sitting on a stool near Kate and putting a hand on her thigh.

"I do. It's in an hour."

"You call 11 an early audition? Really?" Kate asked, still not having accepted their early wake up call.

"Well, it's before lunch, so it's early." Meredith answered seriously.

Kate was trying really hard not to laugh. She was saved by Alexis coming down the stairs with a large suitcase already packed.

"You know the plane is only at 6 tonight right?" Meredith asked, looking strangely at her daughter .

"Yeah, but it's already packed and since I'll go to have lunch with Paige, I won't have to drag it downstairs when I'm in a hurry." she laughed, kissing her dad and Kate on the cheek before taking a bottle of water out of the fridge.

"Oh she's back in town for the holidays? She's the one who's in Boston right?" Kate asked.

"Yeah. She's majoring in math."

"Well, there are crazy people on this planet." Rick said, laughing.

"Who's Paige?" Meredith asked.

"Really mom? She's my best friend. She has been for more than ten years now!" Alexis answered, angry. "Well, I have to go. We plan on gossiping all afternoon so we better start early." she laughed. "I'll see you around four!" she added, going out the door.

"Well, I'd better get going too. Wouldn't want to be late for this major audition" Meredith said, emphasizing _major_, wanting Rick to ask her about it. When he didn't, she just gathered her things and left the loft.

"Uh! I thought she would never leave!" Kate said, letting her head drop on the counter.

"I'm sorry about last night." Rick said, getting off his stool and hugging Kate form behind.

"Well, it's not as if you could know she would show up." Kate said, leaning against him. "I'm sorry for the way I acted it was …"

"So hot!" Rick couldn't help finishing for her.

"Really?" Kate laughed.

"Yeah. I love it when you get all possessive. And the way you were ready to jump on her, oh my God, it was sooooo hot." Rick said, kissing her neck.

"Well, I don't like being jumped on when I'm sleeping, that's all. And then she tried to seduce you even with me in the bed? I'm sorry but I can't let that happen. You're mine and that's all there is to it. She was stupid enough to let you go, serves her right. I'm not going to do the same mistake."

"I love when you talk like that." Rick said, kissing her passionately.

"Well, I'm sorry to tell you that but you're stuck with me for good." she said, smiling at him.

"That's fine by me." he replied, kissing her quickly once more.

"Hey, what do you say we go to the cemetery now? We could go have lunch at Remy's afterwards." Kate proposed.

"Sure! let's go!" Rick declared, lifting her from the stool.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

When they arrived at the cemetery, Kate stopped Rick.

"Do you mind letting me have a few minutes alone first?"

"Of course not Kate. I'm honored you asked me to come with you. Just make me a sign when you want me to join you." He answered, kissing her forehead before watching her walk ahead to her mother's grave.

For a while, he walked around, looking at the different graves but his eyes seemed to be irresistibly drawn to Kate. She was kneeling in front of her mother's grave, and seemed to be talking to her. With her red winter coat and her long brown hair, she looked like a little girl. He couldn't imagine what she must be feeling. Having lost a parent that way must be awful, for lack of a better word. He was brought out of his thoughts when he saw her stand up and look at him. He took that as his cue to join her. He walked slowly to her and took her hand when he joined her. He put the flowers he had bought on the grave and took Kate in his arms. They stayed there for a while, in each other's arms, in silence. When Rick's stomach grumbled, Kate laughed.

"Maybe we should go eat something." She said.

"We can stay a bit if you want."

"No, it's fine. Thank you for coming with me." She said, kissing him softly before getting out of his arms.

After saying goodbye to her mom, they walked out of the cemetery hand in hand.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

After having eaten at Remy's and come back to the loft, Rick had gone to write for a while before taking Alexis to the airport.

Kate was cooking dinner for herself and Rick when the front door burst open and a very very angry Rick rushed towards his office. Before Kate had time to react, Alexis entered the loft, dragging her big suitcase behind her, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Alexis? What happened?" Kate asked, walking to the young woman.

"She didn't show up. She forgot about me Kate! Who would forgot about their own daughter for a vacation that had been planned for months?" Alexis asked, crying harder as she threw herself into Kate's arm.

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**Tada !**

**So, what did you think of this chapter? like it? Don't like it? Let me know ;-)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey there ! Enjoy this new chapter!**

* * *

When Meredith came back to the loft, Rick was waiting for her in the living room, his laptop on the coffee table.

"Hey Ricky, how was your day?" she asked, walking towards him seductively.

"Horrible." he simply answered.

"I knew that detective couldn't keep you happy for long. But you know, I'm still here when you need … or want me kitten." Meredith said, moving her hand up his thigh.

"Don't touch me!" Rick almost grown, making Meredith back off.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked.

"What's wrong with me? Well, let me see. Oh, I know! My daughter's mother stood her up at the airport for a three week vacation in Europe!"

"Oh come on, it's not that bad. I couldn't just leave the audition Richard!"

"Meredith, your audition was at 11, your plane at 6!"

"Yeah, well, the director invited me to lunch and then we went back to his place and …"

"You know what, let's just stop here. I really don't need to hear the end of that sentence. The fact is, Alexis was in tears when we got back here! And for what? A role? What kind of mother are you Meredith?"

"I'm sure it's not so bad. I'm going to talk to Alexis, I'm sure she will understand." Meredith said, getting up and heading to the stairs.

"She not here right now. She's out with Kate." Rick said, remaining seated on the couch, preparing for the scene he knew was coming.

"What! How dare she take my daughter out when I'm here. It's my job to take care of her. Your detective has absolutely no rights over Alexis!" Meredith almost yelled.

"YOUR daughter asked Kate if they could go out, just the two of them, to get some air. I think they went to eat and then to the movies, or the theatre I don't remember. But the thing is, you can only blame yourself. If you had showed up at the airport and taken Alexis to Europe as you had planned for months, you two would be together right now." Rick said, trying to stay calm. He couldn't believe how Meredith was acting. "Oh, and there is no way you're staying here tonight. Pack your bags and get a hotel room. I want you gone by the time Kate and Alexis come home."

"Oh, so your Kate is making all the decisions around here now."

"No she doesn't. And it was not her decision. Alexis asked me to tell you." Rick said, knowing it would hurt her but right now he couldn't care less. And it was true anyway. Alexis was the one who had asked that her mother didn't stay the night.

"Well, I'm calling her right now! I'm her mother, I don't take orders from my child, and certainly not some as stupid as that!" Meredith declared, fishing her phone out of her purse.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"It's her. Again." Alexis said, placing her cell phone on the table they were sitting at in the small coffee shop. "I guess Dad told her I don't want her to stay. Doesn't that make me a horrible daughter?" she asked, looking at Kate with tears gathering in her eyes.

"Alexis, I'm not sure you could be a bad daughter even if you wanted to." Kate said, smiling as she squeezed the girl's hand.

"I'm sorry. It must be hard for you hearing me complain about my mother when you would give anything to have yours back. I'm sorry."

"Hey, you don't need to apologize. Yes I would give anything to have my mother back but I can tell you that if she had ever done what your mother did tonight, I would be more than mad at her."

"I should be used it really. It's not like it's the first time. It happened before and I'm pretty sure it's going to happen again but every time … I can't help but get my hopes up. Thinking that maybe this time she'll keep her promise. I'm so stupid!"

"Hey Alexis, you're not stupid, far from it. She is the stupid one, not knowing what she is passing on. It's her loss. Don't go blaming yourself for that, if someone's to blame for the situation it's her. And …"

Kate was cut off by Alexis's phone ringing again, and Meredith's face flashing on the screen once more. Kate was surprised when Alexis slid the phone towards her.

"Can you pick up? And tell her that I don't want to talk to her right now? I can't deal with her tonight, I'll see her tomorrow."

"Sure." Kate said, tapping the 'answer' button of the phone. "Meredith, stop calling. She doesn't want to talk to you right now. She'll see you tomorrow but let her at least have peace this evening." Kate said in the phone, not letting Meredith any time to speak before she hung up.

The two girls continued to talk for a while when Kate received a text message form Rick saying that he had tried everything but that Meredith absolutely refused to leave the loft without having talked to her daughter. Hearing that, Alexis's face fell and tears began to roll down her cheeks. Kate, noticing that she was on the verge of a breakdown, paid for their drinks and they left the coffee shop. They walked in the streets for a while in silence before Alexis started talking again.

"We should go home. It's getting pretty late and I'm tired."

"Are you sure?" Kate asked, draping an arm around the young woman's shoulders.

"I really don't want to talk to her, or even see her right now but I don't have much of a choice so …"

"You know what? Actually you have a choice." Kate said, searching for something in her bag, smiling when she found it. "You can spend the night at my place if you want. It'll give you time to sleep and think before you face your mother."

"Are you sure, I wouldn't want to …"

"I'm sure Alexis. I wouldn't propose it if I wasn't sure." Kate said with a reassuring smile.

"Thanks. You're a life savior." Alexis said, hugging Kate tight. "Are you going back to the loft?"

"Yeah … I … I kind of have trouble sleeping without your father now." Kate admitted, blushing slightly. Now, let's find a cab, I'll drop you off at my place and then go to the loft." she continued, already texting Rick the solution they had come up with.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

When Kate entered the loft, Meredith was on the phone in the kitchen and she could see Rick in his office, sitting at his desk but he wasn't writing, just staring at the screen of his laptop. She put her coat and shoes in the closet and walked directly to Rick, not responding to the death glares Meredith was throwing at her. When she went to hug him, putting her arms around his neck from behind, she noticed that he was not trying to write. He was looking at pictures of Alexis from when she was just a tiny baby with two giant blue eyes and a few red hairs on her head.

"Oh, she was so cute." Kate said, smiling as she moved closer to the screen to examine the picture.

"Yeah, from the moment she entered the world, I could say that she would be special. That seems like the biggest cliché ever because she's my daughter, of course I'd think she's the most beautiful baby in the whole world, but really, I could feel she would be different, and that she would change me for the better. It kills me that her own mother doesn't see that, not even now."

"You did good with her Rick, more than good even. She's the daughter everyone would dream of. I sincerely hope our children will be even half good as her." Kate said, kissing his cheek before heading in the bedroom.

Rick stayed awestruck in his chair for a while, hearing her words over and over again in his head. _OUR children, she said our children …_

Suddenly, he was out of his chair and running after her in the bedroom. He just had to make sure he heard her right.

* * *

**So, what do you think? Liked it?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey everyone! enjoy this new chapter!**

* * *

When Kate woke up, Rick was writing in bed. She cuddled up against him and sighed happily.

"Hey you." Rick said, bending down to kiss her. " Did you sleep ok?"

"Mmm" she simply answered, burying deeper in his side.

Rick let her a few minutes to wake up before talking again.

"I think Alexis came back about an hour ago. I heard the door and someone get up the stairs. Thank you so much for having let her sleep at your place." He said, caressing Kate's back.

"She looked really panicked last night when we got your text. I figured, since I still have an empty apartment, why not let her use it? You want some coffee? I definitely need coffee." Kate said, getting out of bed, putting Rick's robe on and heading to the kitchen.

When she got back in their bedroom, Rick was writing, engrossed in all his ideas, his fingers apparently not going fast enough for him given the frustrated look he had on his face. Kate placed his mug on the nightstand on his side of the bed and went back to sit in the bed. He didn't even seem to notice the movement around him, but she didn't worry, she had gotten used to it. It had worried her at first, wondering what was happening to him once when she tried to seduce him at his desk, completely naked, just to have no reaction at all. Later, without giving any unnecessary details, she had talked to Alexis who assured her that it was completely normal … or at least that she thought it was because he had been doing it as long as she could remember. So Kate settled on her side of the bed, coffee in one hand, a book in the other. This was their routine for no-work days. They took the right to do absolutely nothing (Rick often complaining that writing was not nothing, that it was his actual job) until lunch.

After a while, Kate felt the mattress move. Looking up from her book, she saw that Alexis had collapsed between her father and her.

"How long has he been like that for?" Alexis asked, looking at Rick, who was still typing as if his life depended on the number of words he could write in a minute.

"Hum … wow almost 45 minutes now." Kate said after having looked at the clock. "How was your night? You found everything you need at my place?"

"Yeah. Thank you so much for letting me sleep there. I really didn't want to have to face her right then. This morning came fast enough." Alexis said, almost groaning when she remembered her discussion with her mother.

"How did that go?" Kate asked hesitantly.

"Well, not really good but I guess it could have been worse. But I think I proved my point."

"How so?"

"Well, we were talking and her phone rang. So naturally … she picked up and walked out of the room. So I just left her. I don't know if she's noticed I'm not there anymore." Alexis shrugged.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Kate said, caressing the girl's red hair.

"It's ok I guess. I asked her not to tell me if she plans to come and visit. And don't worry I warned her. Next time she shows up she's not staying here."

"Alexis … I don't want to keep you from your mother. I won't lie and say that I'm thrilled that she's here, especially when she jumps on me when I'm sleeping, but if you want her to stay here she can stay here. It's not because I live here now that anything should change between the two of you. She's your mother, I'm not. You shouldn't take decisions like that based on me."

"That's just the thing Kate. She doesn't act like a mother. She acts like … I don't even know who would act like that. And … maybe it's horrible for me to say that but I prefer making plans based on you than on her. At least I know when you say something you keep your word. And even when you can't make it you at least send a text. How hard is it, seriously? When she'll realize how awesome I am and that she's missed everything, maybe she'll change." Alexis said, smiling.

"You definitely are awesome." Kate laughed. "But are you sure you're going to be ok?"

"Yes. I'm going to be ok. Maybe not tomorrow but I'll be ok. Now, I was thinking, do you have any plans for the rest of your week off. I know Dad had some stuff planned but …"

"But what?"

"Well, since I'm here until the end of the week, I wondered if you would want to move all your stuff by the end of the week. I can help and then we can have this dinner party to celebrate, and I can cook and …"

"I'd love to Alexis. Now, go and get dressed, I'll tell your father."

The young woman kissed Kate's cheek and jumped off the bed. When she was gone, Kate turned to the man next to her in the bed. She didn't know if Alexis had noticed but the sound of typing had stopped not long after the beginning of the discussion. Kate was not that surprised when she saw tears roll down Rick's cheeks. His eyes were close, head leaning against the headboard of the bed, his hands still on the keyboard of his laptop.

"She'll be ok Rick. She's a strong and intelligent girl." Kate said quietly, taking the laptop and putting it on the floor before taking her man in her arms.

"I know. She's awesome after all, right?" he asked, his voice hoarse from emotion.

"Yeah she is. The awesomest of them all."

"That's not a word."

"I know."Kate laughed, kissing him lovingly before getting up. "Now, go get ready. The Castle moving company has been hired for … let's say at least the next three days."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

It was now Saturday night and the Castle clan, which now included Kate, was waiting for its guests to arrive. They had managed to get everything moved from her place to the loft in three days, even if Rick still couldn't believe it. "This has to best the fastest move-out-move-in ever!" he kept repeating.

On the first day – well, afternoon really – they had managed to pack most of Kate's bedroom, bathroom and kitchen and had even started packing the living room, after having decided what Kate would throw away and what would go in the loft. She had also called her father, asking him if he wanted some of her stuff. On the second, with Jim's help, they had managed to pack all the rest of the apartment: living room, office, and all the closets and had even moved some boxed into the loft. And on the third day, they had moved the rest of the boxes and the piece of furniture Kate had kept.

On the evening of the third day, the living room full of boxes, Rick and Alexis found Kate's photo albums and the three of them spend a good part of the night looking at the photos, trading stories.

The next day was spent arranging everything and cleaned the loft. And now, on the evening of the flowing day, they were waiting for Lanie, Javier, Kevin and Jenny to arrive. They didn't tell them what they were celebrating. They had decided to let them find by themselves, helping them with some hints and clues. Except Jenny, the all worked for the NYPD, they should be able to figure it out.

When the doorbell rang, the three of them smiled. Let the game begin!

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**So, what do you think of this chapter?**

**I'm not really proud of it but I needed a sort of linking chapter for what is to come ...  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey everyone! enjoy this new chapter!**

* * *

As soon as Lanie entered the loft, she looked strangely at Kate.

"What?" Kate asked.

"I don't know. Something's changed here." Lanie said, looking around the loft.

Well, maybe the game would be short after all.

"Girl! You moved in here! Oh I'm so happy for you!" Lanie explained, hugging Kate really tight.

Kate looked at the others above Lanie's shoulder. They looked like they had missed something. Jenny was smiling but Javier and Kevin looked completely dumbfounded … and maybe a little vexed too. They were the detectives after all … And the ME went two steps in and figured everything out! That was so not good for their reputation. They would be ok until Kate and Rick decide to make the announcement but after that … they would never hear the end of it.

Rick took all of their coats while they were all congratulating the couple and Alexis couldn't help but think how natural it all seemed. Getting out of her thoughts, she walked down the stairs, greeted everyone and moved to the kitchen to check on the food. Just as she had promised, she had been the one cooking the evening dinner. Kate had tried to help but she had been gently pushed out of the kitchen and been told to relax. The group of friends had moved to the living room for some drinks before dinner.

"How did you figure it out so quickly?" Javier asked Lanie.

"Well, that's not difficult. The rug here, it's Kate's. The vases of the piano, two of them are Kate's. The mirror by the office door is also hers. Do you want me to go on?" Lanie asked, smirking.

"No, I'm fine. I get the idea."

"Well Lanie, if we are ever robbed, I suggest you call the insurance company and just give them the list of what of our things are missing." Rick laughed

"_Our_ Things. You have anything else to announce write-boy?" Lanie asked, excited.

"What?" Rick asked, completely confused.

"You said _our_ things. As in 'what's mine in yours'?"

"Lanie, don't get ahead of yourself here. One thing at a time please." Kate said, smiling at her friend's excitement.

"Well, you're the one who told me you wanted to marry Castle." Lanie remarked, a knowing smile on her face.

Kate almost chocked on her drink at her friend's words. Why was she bringing that up now? In front of everyone? In front of Rick!

"Well, that's interesting." Rick said. "And when did she say that?"

"On New Year's Eve. While we were getting ready for your party." Lanie answered. "And she also said she wanted Castle babies." she continued, taking a sip of her drink.

"Oh yeah, I know about that." Rick said, smiling and kissing Kate quickly.

It was Lanie's turn to choke on her drink.

"Did you give her something to drink before you came over?" Kate asked to the others.

The three of them shook their head, sort of shaken by everything that had happened in the last thirty seconds.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Dinner had passed nicely. Everyone shared stories and laughed. They were just finishing the main course when someone knocked at the door.

"I'll get it." Alexis said, letting the other go on with the talking.

All conversation stopped, however, when they saw who Alexis was bringing with her when she got back to the table.

"Captain? What are you doing here?" Kate asked, failing to hide her surprise.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner Detective but I need to speak with you and Mister Castle." Gates said, looking concerned.

"Sure. Uh … we could go in my office." Rick offered, rising from his chair. He looked at Kate who nodded slightly.

The three of them headed to Rick's office, leaving all the others at the dining table, completely astounded.

Once in the office, Kate closed the door behind her and looked at her captain, looking really worried.

"Well, I guess there's no point in delaying it. Your … let's say public announcement during the New Year's Eve caught the attention of the Police Commissioner and … well he's not really pleased the situation." She stopped, judging their reaction. Rick was clenching his fists and Kate was very, very pale. "Kate, maybe you should sit down, you look like you'll faint."

At the Captain words, Rick look at his girlfriend and she did look on the verge of collapse. He guided her to his chair and sat her down. He rounded the chair and placed himself behind her, his hands on her shoulders to try and keep her calm.

"Well, I don't want to be mean, contrary to what most of you seem to think, I was not born to annoy you, but I have to tell you, you couldn't actually think you would get away with it without any consequences." Gates said.

"No, but at some point you just can't live in hiding. It just … eats at you all the time." Rick tried to explain.

"Don't get me wrong, I completely understand, but you should also understand that this will change the dynamics in your work relationship."

"But Sir it's been six months and nothing had changed." Kate said, before realizing what she had just said.

"Don't worry, I knew. I just decided to give it a go. And to be completely honest, I was waiting for the slightest problem to give you my point of view on the situation. But I have to admit it, you were good at keeping it to yourself. Now as you may know the Commissioner is really by-the-book. Worse than me, and yes that is possible." Gates added, a small smile on her face.

"What … what is going to happen now. Will Rick have to go?" Kate asked, her hands gripping Rick's, tears gathering in her eyes. She was not usually that emotional, and certainly not in front of her boss. But the mere idea of having to have to work without Rick was just unbearable. At the beginning, she couldn't imagine working with him, now she couldn't imagine having to work without him.

"Well, that's what the Commissioner suggested. However – and I swear, if what I'm going to say gets out of this room, I'll deny it – I managed to spare M. Castle involvement with the precinct. He accepted on one condition, seeing how M. Castle has been more than helpful since he joined the team. So, he asked that Mr. Castle get official certification. Because, let's be honest, he is more than a simple consultant now."

"What does that mean?" Rick asked, not really understanding what was expected of him.

"You'll have to go to the Academy." Kate said, looking from Gates to Rick.

"If you join the Civilian Training Program and if you graduate, he's agreed to keep you. You would be a proper consultant then. Well, I'll let you think about it. I would just need an answer by the end of next week to sort out the paperwork."

"I'll do it!" Rick exclaimed, surprising Kate and Gates, and eve himself.

* * *

**Soooo ... did you see THAT coming? (well I hope not otherwise this question is really stupid lol)**

**Tell me what you thought of this chapter ;-)  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**Here is chapter 8! enjoy!**

* * *

Everything was ready. He had planned everything and nothing would prevent him from doing exactly what he had planned. He had been studying like crazy for the last three months, he had three more months before taking the exam. Kate had the weekend off, and he was decided to make the most of it. She didn't know it yet but Kate was going to be swept off her feet and she would never forget this weekend. He had talked to Gates about his plan. She had been surprisingly understanding and had even suggested that Kate take the Monday off, which Rick had readily agreed to. He was now on his way to the precinct to get Kate out for lunch. What he didn't plan on telling her was that they were going to have lunch … in the Hamptons. He hadn't planned anything for their afternoon, expecting Kate to be mad at him.

When he pulled up in front of the precinct, she was waiting on the sidewalk. She got in the car and kissed him before putting her seat belt on. It still amazed him how open she was with him. And even more so since their relationship had been made public. She didn't seem to mind being stopped in the streets by photographs or random people. He didn't dare talk to her about it, afraid she would change her mind and tell him she couldn't do it. But he would have to talk to her soon.

Kate relaxed in the passenger seat, happy that Rick had come to take her to lunch. She didn't have any case open so the break from paperwork was welcome. She closed her eyes for a minute, taking a deep breath. When she opened them – after what she thought was a few minutes but was really half an hour – she tensed. Rick could feel it and prepared himself for what was to come.

"Rick! Where are you going! I need to be back at work in an hour!" Kate almost yelled, looking out the window and seeing only trees and fields.

"We're going to the Hamptons, and you don't have to go back to work before Tuesday." Rick said calmly.

"What did you do?" Kate asked, turning towards him.

"I planned a romantic weekend away with my girlfriend." He simply explained. "I have the weekend free, you have too, the weather is supposed to be nice in the Hamptons for the next few days. And since our first Hampton get away did not really go as I had planned …"

"Well, that's a way to put it." Kate laughed. "But the end was worth it right?" she asked, looking at him with her sultry eyes.

"Oh yes! definitely worth it!" Rick groaned.

"Keep your eyes on the road Rick." she said when she saw him looking at her.

"Well, maybe you should take your hand off my thigh, or I'll have to pull over."

"Calm down Ricky. I'm still mad at you for not telling me anything." Kate said, turning her head towards the window but failing to hide her smile from Rick.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

When Rick drove in the driveway of his house, Kate was asleep, her head turned towards the window. Rick stopped the car, got everything out of the car and in the house, before going back to get Kate.

"Hey Kate. Wake up love, we're here." Rick said, kissing her awake.

"Mmmm" Kate groaned, burying her head into Rick's chest.

"Come on Kate." Rick laughed. "Let's go inside and have our lunch." He continued, helping her on her feet.

"So if I get this right, you kidnap me and then you wake me up, what's wrong with you?"

"You're not really mad are you? Because if you really want to, I can drive us back to the city." Rick said.

Kate felt bad when she turned around and saw that his face had fallen. He looked so sad.

"Rick, no. I'm not really mad. I just wished you'd told me. But I'm really happy to be here with you." Kate said, kissing him softly, knowing he needed the reassurance. "I swear, I love that you planned this weekend, I think we both needed some time away, just the two of us." She added, taking him by the hand and leading him inside.

After a light lunch, Kate and Rick headed to the beach. It was still too early in the year to go in the sea but they wanted to walk around for a bit, make the most of the sun. They walked up the beach for about an hour before Kate stopped and sat down on the sand. Rick sat down behind her and hugged her to his chest.

"You ok?"

"Yeah. It's perfect. Thank you so much for taking me here."

"I'm sorry I blindsided you Kate. Really." Rick said, hugging her tighter.

"Don't apologize. This is perfect. You are perfect. You seem to know exactly what I need before I do. You make me live and I love it. I think I kind of forgot how to live spontaneously." Kate sighed, relaxing in his arms, closing her eyes and letting herself breathe in the fresh air.

They stayed like that for a while before deciding to go back to the house. As soon as they arrived they looked around for what to do for dinner. While Rick was cooking, Kate went up to their bedroom to look at what he had packed for her. She was surprised to see that he didn't pack only her underwear but also normal, covering clothes. However, she couldn't help but smile when she saw her short sleeveless blue robe. She went back downstairs, the robe in her hand. When Rick saw it, a huge smile appeared on his face.

"So you found it, uh?"

"Yes. Why did you pack it. I bought a new one like two weeks ago. And you know it because you were with me." Kate said.

"Yeah well. I was hoping for a repeat performance of last time. Without the dead guy in the pool of course." Rick said, smiling brightly with a pleading look on his face.

"Uh! That can be arranged I think. Too bad though …" Kate teased, trying to keep her face straight.

"What? Why is it so bad?" Rick asked.

"Well, I wasn't really planning on leaving the house … maybe not even the bed for the whole weekend." She explained, laughing out loud when she saw Rick's face. "I'll have you know, Mr. Castle, that I'm very appreciative of you being willing to go to the Academy to be able to continue working with me. And I know how hard you have been working lately, I thought that you deserve some really nice reward for everything you have done." Kate almost purred, as she got up and put her arms around his waist, pulling him to her.

"Are you the reward?"

"Maybe …"

"Because if you are, I have to tell you that I worked harder than I ever did in my entire life. I'm completely exhausted and I think if I had to read one more procedure book, I'll go blind. It would be a shame … so many beautiful things in this world." Rick said, looking at her in the eyes with so much intensity that she found herself blushing.

"Rick?"

"Yes?"

"Stop talking. Stop cooking whatever it is you were doing and come and collect your reward." Kate said, walking toward the pool, losing pieces of clothing on her way there.

He did as he was told, as fast as he could, and started taking his clothes off on the way to the pool. When he felt it in his pocket, he hesitated. Where could he put it so Kate wouldn't find it. Being very impatient to go meet her in the pool, he put it into a marble vase that was on the piano, and run outside.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

They had been … playing … for almost an hour in the pool when Kate started to shiver. Rick carried her out and buried her in one of the robes he always kept in a chest by the pool. He knew they would come in handy one day.

Kate may have been cold in the water, be she seemed determined to have Rick warm her up. As they went back into the house, kissing more and more passionately, Rick kind of lost track of the objects in the room, too engrossed by Kate to be thinking about anything else. They had hardly passed the French windows that they were crashing onto the piano. Kate laughed, letting go of his lips for a few seconds. She was leaning back in when she heard something break on the floor. As she turned her head towards the noise, she felt Rick tense around her. As soon as she saw it, she knew why.

"Rick, what is that?" she asked calmly, trying not to hyperventilate as she couldn't take her eyes off the little black box that was on the floor. A little black box that looked suspiciously similar to a ring box.

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**So? did you see it coming? what did you think of this chapter?**


	9. Chapter 9

**Here is chapter 9, enjoy!**

* * *

Kate stayed there, looking at the ring box on the floor. Rick seemed to hesitate but bent down and reached for it. Kate's eyes seemed stuck on the box, following it while Rick picked it up.

"It's … uh … well, I think you know what it is." Rick said, toying with the box. He looked at Kate, noticing the smile on her face

"Well, aren't you going to give it to me?" Kate asked, finally looking away from the box to look at him, her eyes shining.

"I … uh …I had …"

"Ok then, I'm going to bed!" Kate said, tightening the robe around her and walking away, a disapproving look on her face.

She had reached the stairs before Rick could react to what had just happened.

"Kate wait!" he called, running after her. He met her in the bedroom. She was taking the covers off the bed and he noticed that she was crying. "Kate please." he said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't touch me." she almost growled.

"Come on Kate, listen to me." Rick begged her. "I … I didn't want to give you today and …"

"You should really stop talking right now." Kate warned. "You're getting worse and worse with every word." she said

"Kate Beckett, you listen to me now!" Rick almost yelled.

She turned around to him, eyes wide. He had never raised his voice like that on her before.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to yell. But will you listen to me, please?"

"Kate nodded, still shocked by his outburst.

"I didn't want to give it to you tonight, because I have everything planned for tomorrow. I wanted for it to be perfect, to be a moment that you will never forget. You deserve a magical moment, not only a heated moment on the way to the bedroom with the ring hidden in a vase in my haste to go and join you in the pool." Rick explained.

"Well, I can assure you I will never forget tonight." Kate said, a small smile on her face. "I'm so sorry Rick, I completely ruined tonight because I over reacted I feel so stupid right now." She sighed, sitting on the bed, putting her head in her hands.

"Kate. Don't worry about it, it's ok."

Rick said, sitting next to her and moving a hand up and down her back.

"No it's not. I ruined everything, like I always do. You're so nice and so sweet and all I do is jump to conclusions, hide or run away and I'm so tired of it."

"Hey, you're not running away now. Quite the contrary in fact." Rick said, laughing lightly. "Were you really so happy that I was going to propose?"

"Of course! I've waited for so long for this moment. I … I didn't make you doubt my feelings, did I ? Because I love you Rick, more than I ever loved anyone in my entire life. I feel … I don't know … I feel like I'm back to my old self when I'm with you and it's so good to be back! I never thought I would feel like that ever again after I lost my mother. And you know what? You did it. You took down every single brick of that stupid wall I had built around myself. I want it all with you." Kate said, looking directly into his eyes, hoping he would understand how truly she meant every word she had said.

"Wow … I uh … I'm supposed to be the one with the speech you know, being the one proposing and all. But … I can't even seem to find my words after what you just said. I love you Kate, never doubt that, because it's never gonna change. I know I don't have the best record in relationships but I swear to you, I will never leave you. Ever. You're stuck with me with the rest of your life. And I'll give it all to you Kate, a wonderful wedding, perfect children, a house in the countryside for when we're old and grey, I'll even share room with you if we come to be sent to an old people's house." Rick said, slowly sliding down the bed and kneeling in front of Kate. "Katherine Houghton Beckett, will you marry me?" he asked, opening the ring box but looking at Kate straight in the eyes.

"Yes. Yes I will." She answered, tears gathering in her eyes as she looked at her future husband. Her eyes left his only when he moved to put the ring on her finger. She gasped when she saw the ring. "Oh my God Rick!"

"You like it?" he asked, smiling, still keeping her hand between both of his.

"It's … so beautiful! It's perfect Rick. It must have cost a fortune!" Kate said, not being able to look away .

"It could have cost me my entire bank account I wouldn't care. You deserve it Kate, all of it. And so much more …" he said, kissing the ring on her finger before kissing her right on the lips. A kiss full of promises for the future.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Well, if I had now engagement sex would be so good I would have tried it earlier." Kate said, later that night, stretching herself against Rick.

"That's not funny." Rick grumbled in her neck, making her shiver.

They stayed locked in each other's arms (and legs) for quite some time, waiting for their breathing to get back to normal. Felling cold, Kate move out of Rick's arms, much to his displeasure, to get the comforter back on them. She buried into Rick's side, her head on his chest, her ear just above his heart, and tucked the comforter around them.

"Rick?"

"Mmmm?" he answered, combing her hair with his fingers.

"Are you mad that I ruined your plans for tomorrow?"

" Did I seem mad to you?" Rick asked, smirking and moving one of his hands up her leg.

"No." she said, shivering at the contact. "But really, you're not disappointed? I mean, you plan something only to propose to me in our bedroom, both of us wearing robes …"

"Well, robes are easy to take off." Rick said, kissing her deeply. "But no, I was not disappointed. All that mattered is that you said yes. And we can still do what I planned for tomorrow, we'll just skip the proposing part."

"Can I know what you had planned?"

"Well, we'll start with a boat ride in the bay, a friend is letting me borrow his boat and …"

"You know how to drive a boat?" Kate asked, surprised.

"What? No, of course not! The Captain comes with the boat. And then we'll have a long and romantic picnic on one of the most beautiful beaches in the area, which was where I wanted to ask you to marry me. How does that sound for tomorrow?"

"It sounds absolutely perfect Rick." Kate said, kissing him lovingly.

* * *

**so, what did you think? **

**here is the link to Kate's ring: ** www. platinumringcompany product/ platinum_ diamond_ solitaire_ ring_ prc10279/ #nogo


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey everyone! I didn't plan on posting this chapter today but I was so excited after having watched last nights episode ! Best episode ever! and the promo for next week is really awsome, i never thought I would say that in my life but I can't wait for Mondays! Well ... Tuesday morning here ;-)**

**so, the link for Kate's ring didn't seem to work so I'll try again, with different "tricks" to see which one works.**

** product/platinum_diamond_solitaire_ring_prc10279/#nogo**

**3Ws dot platinum ring company (all in one word of course) dot com slash product slash platinum low dash (i don't know how you call that in English but it's the one on the 8) diamond low dash ring low dash prc10279 slash hash sign nogo. **

**I hope one of those two will work, it's really a gorgeous ring ;-)))**

**so here you go, enjoy chpater 10!**

* * *

« Rick, I'm home! » Kate called from the hallway. She had hoped she would come back from work to a delicious dinner cooking on the stove, but there were none of the wonderful smells that usually accompanied Rick's cooking.

She put her things in the closet and walked into the loft looking for her future husband. He wasn't anywhere, which was strange because his Academy exams were the following week. He hadn't stopped working since they came back from the Hamptons, and that was more than two months ago. That why Kate was not that surprised to see him sleeping on the couch in his office, papers spread everywhere on the floor, notes written all over his smart board. Seeing him like that, so cute but so tired, she decided that her weekend off would be spent making sure that Rick was in his best form for the exams. He couldn't go on that way for the next three days or he will mix everything up and fall asleep on his exam desk. She closed the door of the office quietly so as not to wake him and headed to the kitchen. The get-Rick-back-in-shape weekend would start with a home cooked meal. Kate was glad she had managed to leave the precinct early that afternoon, that way she would have time to take care of her man.

More than an hour later, the lasagna dish in the oven, Kate went back in the office. She couldn't help but smile when she opened the door. Rick was still asleep but he had rolled on his side, a hand under his head, the other one keeping a cushion tightly against his chest. Kate really hoped their children would look like him. He was so cute sometimes, she couldn't wait to see his facial expressions on a tiny human being. Unconsciously, she brought her hand to her stomach and smiled. She was pregnant, but Rick didn't know it yet. Hell, she hadn't known for more than two days. She had figured it out when she missed her period – she never missed her period – and asked Lanie to make the test. And yes, she was pregnant. She was only two or three weeks along, she'll need to confirm with her doctor, but she didn't plan on telling Rick. Not right away anyway. She would keep it as a graduation present for him.

Shaking her head and getting out of her thoughts, she started to collect everything from the floor and put it all in Rick's desk. If she had anything to do with it, Richard Castle would not look at a single book or sheet of paper for the next two days! She moved softly towards him and sat on the couch next to him. Slowly, she brushed the hair out of his forehead – he would really need a haircut before the graduation ceremony – and tried to wake him up gently. Little by little, Rick seemed to get back from dream land.

"Hey there. How was your nap?" she asked softly, kissing him on the cheek.

"Uh … good. What time is it?" Rick asked, scrubbing his eyes with his fists _Just like a baby_ Kate thought.

"It's a bit after seven. I made dinner and it's ready so I thought I would wake you."

"SEVEN ! Oh my God, how long did I sleep?" Rick asked, getting himself seated on the couch.

"I don't know, you were asleep when I came back."

"Where are all my papers? I need to work! I'm not ready! I …"

"Rick, look at me!" Kate said, taking his head between both her hands and making him look at her. "You are ready. You are certainly more ready than anyone else for these tests. And I know what I'm talking about because I quizzed you on every single page from every single book you had to study from. You're ready Rick. I swear. If you study more, the only thing you'll do is mix everything up in your head, and you really don't want to do that. Take it from someone who's more than obsessed with knowing every single rule and who took pretty much the same exam. If you let everything sink in during the weekend, it'll come faster and clearer to you when you need the answers on Monday."

"Yes but …"

"No but Rick! Let me take care of you this weekend, please. If you continue like that you will collapse during one of your exams. You need to relax, you need to sleep, you need some fresh air. You've always been there for me, let me be here for you, please." Kate almost begged.

"I love you, you know that?" Rick asked, a smile on his face when he understood that she was absolutely right.

"Yes I do." Kate said, kissing him lovingly.

"Now, did you say something about food?"

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"You know, I still don't think this should be called a tub. It's a small pool." Kate laughed.

After dinner, she had drawn a bath for the both of them in the tub/pool of the master bathroom. They were now relaxing in each other's arms in a hot bubble bath, hands travelling on the body of the other but without necessary wanting more out of it. They were happy with just … being.

"Well, it's a tub. You already know what a private pool looks like." Rick said, kissing her jaw. "And you know what can happen in this pool." He cannot help but add.

"I wouldn't call a dead man falling into it while I'm naked in front of you really a good memory."

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." He growled in her neck, moving his hands up her thighs.

"Well, last time in the pool was great, but I have to admit, I preferred what followed the pool. You know , the ring and all." Kate said, smiling as she brought her hand out of the water, staring at the diamond ring on her left ring finger.

"You really like it?" Rick asked, tracing it with his fingers.

"Of course I do! I already told you, it's perfect. And I'm not the only one thinking that. Do you remember Lanie's reaction?"

"Yes. I really thought you were going to lose your finger that night."

"Yeah . I was pretty sure she was trying to steal it. I swear I felt it slip off my finger. I had to close my fist to be sure not to lose it. And even now, every time I see Lanie, I can see her staring at it. If it ever get stolen, we know who to question."

They stayed silent for a while, both of them looking at the ring. When he felt Kate shiver against his chest, he realized that the water had gotten really cold.

"We better get out of here. It's getting cold." Rick said, moving from the back of the tub.

"You go ahead. I'll join you in a few minutes."

"What? Why?" Rick asked, confused.

"You'll see. Put some pants on but no t-shirt." Kate said, smiling from the tub.

"Okaaayyyy." Rick said, leaving the bathroom but still looking confused.

He was sitting on the bed when Kate got out of the bathroom, wearing grey yoga pants and a Richard Castle T-shirt.

"Where did you get that?" he asked immediately, pointing at her shirt.

"I bought it, a long time ago. I went to a book signing of my favorite author with my mother when I was seventeen. She bought me the T-shirt and I got it sign as well as my book."

"Really? Why have you never told me before?"

"I don't know. I … I guess I wanted to keep some mystery." Kate said, blushing as she walked to him.

"It seems new." Rick noticed, playing with the hem of the T-shirt.

"Yeah … I never wore it before."

"Really? Why?"

"You'll think it's stupid." She said, looking at her hands.

"Come on, tell me. Please." Rick said, making her sit with him on the bed.

"I … I was afraid the dedication would come off." She said, blushing furiously.

"I don't think it's stupid. I think it's super cute. I wish I could remember seeing you before. Can I … can I see the dedication?" he asked, looking over her body and not seeing anything.

"It's in the back." Kate said, smiling as she turned her back to him so he could read.

_Kate, you're the first real girl I've met today. You have gorgeous eyes, keep them smiling like that, don't let anyone take that away from you. Thank you for not being a fake-blond and not pushing your breasts in my face. You can't imagine how refreshing it was. I'm really happy to have real fans like you._

"I wrote THAT? Why would I do that?" Rick groaned, throwing himself on the bed.

"I love it! I took it out of the bag every time I had boy troubles in high school or college and it made feel so much better. Like, if you could see me like that, they were stupid not to." Kate said, laughing lightly.

"Yeah, well … I'm still ashamed of what I wrote." He grumbled.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you'd like the surprise but …" she said, starting to get up to take it off.

"No Kate, keep it. I love that you have one and that I signed it. It's just … I can't help but be mad that I was such a jackass!"

"You see that as a jackass? I don't! Once I got to know the real you I saw it as a piece of the real you during your jackass period." Kate laughed.

"Well, if you see it like that, I guess I can live with that." He said, kissing her lovingly.

"Good. Now lay down on your stomach."

Rick did as he was told and hissed when something cold dropped on his back. He felt Kate settle on his backside and relaxed when he felt her hands move on his back.

"Oh God, that's so good."

"Well, that's not surprising seeing how tense you are." Kate said, working on the knots in his back.

"Well, I can't guarantee that I'll stay awake if you continue."

"That's the plan Rick. This weekend I'm taking care of you. The plan is to help you relax so I'm not stopping until you fall asleep."

Rick didn't respond. He simply relaxed under her fingers, feeling all his fear for the exams slip away from him. Little by little he could feel the sleep take over and didn't fight it. Kate was right, he really needed to sleep. As he felt himself slip away, he felt Kate kiss him in the neck and let himself be submerged by sleep.

* * *

**So, what did you think of this chapter?**


	11. Chapter 11

**Here you go, enjoy chapter 11!**

* * *

When Rick opened his eyes, he could swear he had never slept so well in his entire life. As he was trying to open his eyes against the sun shining through the window, he felt Kate sat on the bed and place something between them.

"Hey." He said, turning on his side, finally being able to open his eyes.

"Good morning." She said, kissing him lovingly. "Did you sleep well?"

"Best night ever! I didn't know you could give massages like that."

"Well, I keep them for special occasions." She laughed, handing him a cup of coffee for the breakfast tray.

"You're the best, you know that?"

"Yes I know." She said, winking at him.

"So, what do you have planned for this weekend of taking care of me?"

"Well, there's some private fun that involves you, me, this bed, and no clothing." Kate smirked, kissing him quickly. "This afternoon we'll go and see Alexis on campus, she said she would give us a tour. And then for tomorrow, I planned a day at the park. If you're a good boy, we'll even go to the zoo." Kate said, happy with herself when she felt Rick's hands move under her T-shirt.

They quickly ate the rest of their breakfast and discarded the tray, finally free to enjoy each other as much as they wanted.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

It was almost three in the afternoon when Kate and Rick arrived at Alexis's dorm. After a quick lunch at the cafeteria, Alexis started giving them the tour of campus she had prepared. Rick was walking behind Kate and Alexis, watching them talk and laugh together. He was happy that they got along so well. Alexis had never particularly disliked any of his 'girlfriends' but she was much more open with Kate. She was completely herself when she was with her and Rick couldn't be happier.

On their tour, they met several of Alexis's friends and they all marveled in front of Kate and Rick. As they were going back to Alexis's dorm room, they met Max again. He was waiting in front of her door. He didn't look surprised to see Rick and Kate and they all talked for a while. When the couple decided to leave, Kate heard him say to Alexis "Your parents are the best." To which the young woman answered "yeah, they're great aren't they?" with pride in her voice. This was the moment when Kate realized that she really considered Alexis as her daughter.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

On the Monday morning, Rick was really surprised not to be stressed out. He had really expected it to be one of the worse days of his life but thanks to Kate and her relaxing weekend, he felt confident. When he got into the kitchen, Kate was cooking pancakes. A plate was set on the counter for him, along with a big glass of orange juice. Kate was humming with the radio, smiling.

"Is everything for me?" Rick asked, coming behind her, sliding his arms around her waist.

"Well. I had hoped you would share." Kate laughed, kissing him quickly before putting the pancakes on the plate.

"After all you did for me this weekend, the least I can do is share my pancakes. You made them after all." He said, sitting on the bar stool and looking at her.

"What?" Kate asked when she noticed he was staring.

"You're the best. I don't know how I would have spent this weekend if it hadn't been for you."

"I know. You would have buried yourself in your books and you would be dead on your feet." Kate said, smiling.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

During lunch, Kate found herself eating alone in the break room, Esposito and Ryan being out on a lead.

"Detective Beckett. Do you mind if I join you?" Gates asked, entering the room with her lunch box.

"No, of course not, take a seat." Kate answered. It was weird. Victoria Gates had been nicer to her since Rick had accepted to join the Academy. She still acted like the boss – she was the boss after all – but she seemed more human.

"So, Mr. Castle is taking his exams today?"

"Yes he is. I'm waiting for his text actually. He had one this morning and the essay this afternoon." Kate said.

"Don't worry about him detective. He's going to do just fine. With everything he has done here, even if it was not always by the book, I have no doubt he will pass."

"I know." Kate sighed. "I just … I really want him to get it. I …"

"You don't want to work without him anymore?" Gates finished for her.

"Yeah." Kate said, blushing. "It's just that I …"

"You don't have to justify yourself Kate." Gates said nicely. "What you two have seems to be really special. I'm sorry it had to come to such a situation but I couldn't do anything. This was the only situation he was willing to accept. I was ready to play dumb as long as possible but you and Mister Castle clearly had other plans."

"Why … why didn't you say anything? When you knew I mean?" Kate asked.

"Well, it was none of my business. And I have to admit I liked how you tried to hide it, not very successfully I might add. I'm really surprised nobody got onto you in a place full of police officers. But rest assured that if it had become a problem, or if a case had involved one of the two of you, I would have been obliged to take measures."

"Of course. Well … thank you. For fighting for us. I'm really not sure I know how to work without him anymore. I mean, of course I know how to do my job but I feel better when he's here. Even if it's just for a few minutes. He usually has very good ideas." Kate explained, smiling.

Just as Gates was about to talk, Kate's phone went off, a picture of a smiling Richard Castle flashing on the screen.

"Take it detective. I have to get back to work. You do too, after that call." Gates said, getting up.

"Yes sir." Kate answered, picking up as soon as Gates had left.

* * *

**so ... what did you think?**


	12. Chapter 12

**Here it is, enjoy chapter 12!**

* * *

Rick was at his desk when he heard the front door open. He stood up and walked into the living room, seeing Kate put her things away.

"Kate? What are you doing home so early?" he asked, looking at his watch.

"Well, the Captain sent me home. Apparently I was stressing everyone out by tapping my foot on my chair, pacing the break room and checking the internet every thirty seconds." She grumbled.

"Well, I've been doing the same here. Now we can stress out together." Rick said, taking him in his arms.

"You shouldn't be worried, you'll pass, I'm sure." Kate said.

"Then why are you worrying?" Rick asked, laughing lightly.

"I don't know. I tried not to but it's stronger than me. I really want you to get it. You deserve it." She answered, kissing him.

"Well, it's been two days since the exams, the results are supposed to be published in … an hour," Rick said. "What do you want to do?"

He looked at her for a while. She seemed to be thinking. Suddenly, her face lit up.

"Sit on the couch, I'll be right back." She said, rushing in their bedroom.

She came back a few seconds later, a white box with a bow on it in her hands. She sat down next to him and handed the box to him.

"A present for me?" Rick asked, taking it.

"It was going to be a graduation present but the ceremony is in two weeks and I can't wait that long. I was going to give it to you after the results but now is just as good a time." Kate said, smiling at him, her eyes shining.

"Ok, let's see what's in the mysterious box." Rick declared, opening it carefully. He put the top on the couch next to him. He opened the tissue paper and froze at what he saw. A onesie with _"don't mess with me, my Daddy's NYPD"_ written on it.

He turned his head to look at her and find her smiling. She seemed really happy but there was a bit of fear in her expression too.

"Does this mean what I think it means?" He asked carefully, a smile growing on his face.

"If you think that we're having a baby then yes." Kate answered, mirroring his smile.

Rick placed the box gently on the coffee table and almost throw himself on Kate and kissed her passionately. When they broke apart for desperate need of air, they find themselves laying down on the couch, Kate stuck between the back cushion and Rick.

"How long have you known?" Rick asked, passing his hand under Kate's shirt and resting it on her stomach.

"Almost a week." She answered, putting her hand on his. "I asked Lanie to run a blood test. I have an appointment at the doctor's on Monday to make sure. Will you come with me?"

"Of course. If you want me to be there, I'll be there." He said, kissing her. He stopped when he felt her tears on his face. "What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

"Nothing." Kate assured him, smiling. "it's just … I'm so happy. I never imagined I would have such a good life after my mother died." She said, drying her cheeks and looking at Rick. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me Richard Castle."

"Oh Kate!" was the only thing Rick could say, feeling tears gather in his own eyes. "I'm so happy to do this again. And with you, it's gonna be wonderful. You'll be a wonderful mother"

"You really think so? That's what I'm the most afraid of, that I won't know what to do. I'm completely screwed up, I don't want our child to inherit that part of me."

"You're not screwed up Kate. And you'll be perfect as a mother. Just look at you with Alexis. And look at her, she turned ok despite having me rising her. I was young and completely terrified , you're going to be great. Don't worry about that."

"I think I'll ask Gates for a desk job." Kate said, seriously.

"What?" Rick asked. "Why?"

"I don't want to take any risks Rick. I'm going to do this perfectly. I read somewhere than the first months are when you really need to relax and not put a strain on your body. I know that I love the field but I love our baby more. And I can still work on cases, I'll just go on the crime scene at the beginning and then I'll do everything from the precinct, the boys can go running everywhere."

"Wow, it sounds like you really thought about it."

"I did. Before I knew I was pregnant, and even more since I know. I want to really live this to the fullest Rick. I want to take my time preparing for our baby." She said, looking at him in the eyes.

"Ok. But you still have time to think about all of this." Rick said, kissing her quickly.

"I'm serious Rick. I'll still work but I will minimize the risks. I know working in a precinct is not really risk-free but I will do my best to keep our baby safe."

"And you were the one doubting your motherly abilities. I told you you'd be perfect." Rick said, kissing her lightly.

"Stop making fun of me." Kate said, laughing as she hit his shoulder. "Do you think the results are on the internet now?" She asked, changing the subject and becoming dead serious.

Rick turned his head to look at the clock on the DVR. 2:56.

"Four minutes left."

"It's so stupid. I don't think I was so scared when I waited for the results of MY exam." Kate sighed.

"Well, I think it's cute. It means you like me." Rick laughed.

"I more than like you." She said, looking at him lovingly.

"Yes, I know that. And I thank God for that every single day." Rick said, kissing her for a few minutes. "Could you have imagined us being here when we first met?"

"Oh no! I think I would have sent the person who would have told me to a mad house. The Kate Beckett of five years ago would never have made out with you on your couch." Kate laughed.

"Well, I'm really glad you changed your mind." Rick said, pecking her lips and sliding his hand back on her stomach.

"Me too." She simply said, looking at his hand tracing patterns on her stomach.

They stayed like this for a few minutes, both of them lost in their thoughts when suddenly, Kate jumped off the couch.

"Rick, it's past three !"

They almost ran to the office where Rick would just have to refresh the page to know if he had passed his exams.

"Can you do it?" he asked Kate, placing himself behind her, his arms around her waist and his hand linked on her stomach. She had the vague impression he would do that a lot in the next nine months.

"You're ready?" Kate asked, her finger ready to press the key that would give them all the answers.

"Yes."

"Ok, let's find out if I need to return that onesie. One, two three," Kate said, her finger pressing the key.

_*** Problem loading page ***_

* * *

**So ... i figure you're mad at me ... you have every right to be ;-)  
Beccause I know what's gonna happen and you dont hahaha ... i'm sorry, that was mean ...  
**

**Anyway, what did you think of this chapter?**


	13. Chapter 13

Here you go, enjoy chapter 13!

* * *

This was a big day for both of them. Rick was in the bedroom, fighting with his tie, while Kate was in the bathroom, putting the last touches to her make up. Rick turned away from the mirror when he heard her chuckle. She was making fun of him because he couldn't sort his tie out. He was about to say something but no sound got out of his mouth. She was wearing her uniform and he couldn't get his brain to work. She was so … hot in that uniform. He felt her hands pushed his away and she started working on the tie. While she was working, his eyes traveled on her. Her shirt was going high on her neck, her jacket was hugging her curves perfectly, and those pants … God! He didn't know how he would survive the whole ceremony knowing she was wearing it.

"Rick!" she called.

"Uh? What?" he asked, trying to shake his unprofessional thoughts out of his head.

"It's time to go. We don't want to be late, everyone will be waiting for you." She said, kissing him lightly.

Rick didn't respond but took her face between his hands and kissed her passionately. She smiled in the kiss. She knew what effect her uniform had on him.

"If you're a good boy during the ceremony, I'll let you get the uniform off before the party." Kate whispered in his ear, feeling the shiver that went through him.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

When they arrived at the police academy, all the others were already there: Ryan, Esposito and Gates in their uniforms, Alexis, Martha, Lanie and Jenny in very formal dresses and Jim in a suit.

"Hey man! Ready for your big day?" Esposito asked, patting his shoulder

"Yeah, I guess so. I'm kind of stressed out. But I have to say, Kate in her uniform is helping a lot." Rick joked. "Oh, sorry Jim I …"

"It's ok Rick. I remember perfectly what Johanna looked like in her lawyer robe." Jim said, smiling and his eyes shining.

"Ok, that's enough." Kate said. "Let's go inside before this conversation starts to be really embarrassing."

"Detective, can I have a word?" Gates asked her.

"Yes, sure."

Gates waited for the rest of the group to be inside and then turned to Kate.

"The Commissioner has accepted to reintegrate Mr. Castle to your team after today." She said, smiling when she heard Kate's sigh of relief. "He had been really surprised to see his commitment to the formation and given his results to the tests, there are absolutely no doubt he deserves it."

"The results? You have them?"

"Yes Kate. He graduated with 100% !" Gates said, smiling.

Before she could react, Kate was hugging her tight and repeating "thank you" over and over again.

"Now, get yourself back together, you wouldn't want to miss the triumph of your man." Gates said, smiling as she walked into the building.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

When she heard his name being called and when she saw him walk on the stage to get his diploma, Kate couldn't help but let the tears fall from her eyes. She had never been so proud of someone in her entire life. She looked around her and everyone was beaming at Castle, even Captain Gates. To her, this moment was close to perfection, with all the people she loved gathered around her in a subtle mix of personal and professional life. She was brought out of her thoughts when she felt someone take her hand.

"You alright there Katie?" her father asked calmly.

"Yeah. I'm fine. I'm perfectly fine." She answered, squeezing his hand.

The rest of the ceremony seemed endless to Kate. She was getting really impatient. She wanted to run into Rick's arm and tell him how proud of him she was. When she heard everyone applause, she searched for her future husband but couldn't find him. She turned around to ask her father if he had seen Rick and she saw him. He was walking towards her with the biggest smile she had ever seen on his face. Just like in movies, she felt time slow down as he approached her and she buried herself in his arms, tears rolling free on her cheeks.

"You did it Rick, you did it! I'm so proud of you!" she whispered to him before bringing him in a passionate kiss which was certainly indecent for the occasion.

They broke apart when they heard someone clear their throat. When they turned around, they found Gates, looking at them. Kate backed away from Rick, still keeping his hand in hers.

"Congratulation Mr. Castle. You really deserve this diploma. I'll be happy to integrate you back in my precinct." She said, sincerity all over her face.

"Thank you sir." Rick said modestly, not really believing what had just happened. Sure, he had had the results for a week now but still, this ceremony had made it official. He was now a qualified civilian consultant.

After Gates, all their friends and family came to congratulate him. Kate never let go of his hand.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

They had planned a small party at the loft later that day to celebrate the new official member of their team. Everyone – including Gates and her husband and son – would be there in less than three hours.

"Why did we say we would do it here again?" Kate asked Rick as they laid in bed in each other's arms.

"Well, maybe because it's MY party." Rick said, laughing in her neck.

"Oh God don't do that." Kate moaned, shivering at the contact. "We don't have time for round three, we really need to get everything ready."

"Too bad. I'd really like to play with your uniform and your real police cuffs." He said. "But I like the party idea too. I just don't want to get up and have to let you go." He admitted, sliding a hand flat on her stomach.

"Yeah, me too. We should really get up though." She said, kissing him quickly before rolling out of bed.

* * *

**So, what did you think?**

**Next chapter will be the party ... ready?**


	14. Chapter 14

**Here is chapter 14, enjoy!**

* * *

They finally managed to get everything ready in time, no thanks to Rick's determination to get Kate out of her clothes. She almost gave up all resistance once, but the impromptu arrival of Alexis while Kate was topless in the kitchen definitely made her keep her clothes on. And following that unwanted scene, Alexis shouted from upstairs every time she was coming down.

The table was set, all the drinks were ready, everyone was dressed, all that was missing was the guests. As always, Lanie and Javier were the first to arrive, always the one ready to party. The others followed closely and by 9, everyone was there. When Jim arrived, he had a huge rectangular-shaped present that he placed against one of the walls.

"Your son didn't come after all?" Rick asked Gates as he was taking her coat and putting it in the closet.

"No. His older brother came home from college for the weekend so he took him to the movies." She explained.

"How old are they, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh no, it's not a secret." Gates laughed.

"Jackson is 23 and Tyler is 12." Hank, Gates' husband, answered.

"Well, that's very nice of him. I don't know a lot of 23-year-old who would sacrifice a Saturday evening to take their brother to the movies." Rick said, leading them to the living room where everybody had gathered.

Rick went to join Kate, putting an arm around her waist as she talked to her father.

"What did you bring dad?" she asked, pointing at the wrapped thing against the wall.

"It's a present, for both of you. Do you want it now?" Jim asked, excited to see their reaction.

"Well, if it's for us yes we want it now." Rick laughed, always the one to be impatient to open a gift.

Jim went to collect his package and handed it to Kate. The room quieted down, waiting to see what Jim had brought for them. Kate placed it on the couch and started to open it, slowly taking off the tape. Everyone could see Rick getting rather impatient at her side.

"Come on Kate, why are you taking so long? Just rip it off."

Everyone laughed and Kate took his advice. However, she stopped when she saw what was inside. She looked at her dad, tears in her eyes.

"Dad! Did you take it? It's … absolutely wonderful!" she said.

She looked at Rick and saw he was as shocked as her. He couldn't take his eyes off it. The other guests were getting impatient, wondering what could have such a strong effect on their friends.

"Jim, it's …. It's perfect. I didn't know you were that good." Rick finally managed to say, turning to his future father-in-law.

"Well, at first I wanted to do it with the 'official' picture of the two of you that I took but when I saw this one, it just clicked you know. It had to be this one." Jim said, smiling softly.

Kate went to kiss her dad and then went into Rick's arms, her movement letting the others see what had been wrapped in the paper. It was a rather big engraved silver frame around a picture of Rick and Kate at the graduation ceremony earlier that afternoon. Rick had reached Kate and had been kissing her. He was bending her backwards, which caused Kate to be keeping her hat on her head with her hand. Both of them had the brightest smiles on their faces. They looked so happy in the picture that Jim had decided to have it printed in big size. When he went looking for a frame to put it in, he found the silver one which had _Always_ engraved at the top. It was perfect for them.

All the guests were gaping at the photograph. No sound could be heard in the entire loft, everyone's eyes were stuck on the picture.

"It's so beautiful!" Gates said, being the first one to get back to her senses.

This reflection, shocking everyone for coming from the Captain, brought life back in the loft. Everyone started talking again and Jim received a lot of congratulations. Rick and Kate didn't move, still looking at the photograph.

"We have to hang it somewhere." Rick finally said, without taking his eyes off it.

"I don't want everyone who comes to the loft to see it though. It seems … too special. What about we hang in your office?"

"That's a good idea. That way I'm sure never to lose inspiration." Rick said, smiling before kissing her softly.

Kate laughed and dried the tears that had rolled down her cheeks. Esposito came to them with glasses of Champaign. Rick took one but Kate didn't, asking for a glass of juice instead.

"Come on Kate, one glass won't kill you. Do it for your man here." he said, pushing the glass in her hand.

"No, I'm fine Javi, really." She said, putting the glass back on the table.

"You know that almost everyone here has already seen you drunk right?" he laughed.

"Well, you … you won't see me drunk for quite some time." Kate said, looking at Rick who was beaming, a hand placed on her stomach nonchalantly.

Everyone seemed quite lost, looking at the two of them. Of course, Lanie knew, but she played the I-don't-know-anything part perfectly.

"Katie? Are you …" Jim started, being the first one to have put two and two together.

"Yeah." She answered, nodding, smiling and crying all at the same time.

Before she had time to realize what was happening, her father had crashed into her and was hugging her very tight.

"What … what's happening?" Esposito asked, still not understanding.

"We're having a baby." Rick said simply, his voice thick with emotion.

He had hardly finished his sentence that Alexis and Martha had flown into his arms.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O

After a few minutes dedicated to congratulations and hugs, everyone moved to the dining room where a feast prepared by Castle was waiting. As they reached time for desert, Hank Gates received a phone call. He excused himself and left the table.

"Captain, I …" Kate started, stopping when Gates raised her hand.

"It's Victoria, I'm not working, and you aren't either. And you invited me into your home, so it's Victoria. And that's true for everyone, got it?"

"Yes Victoria" everyone chorused.

"Yes Sir." Esposito said, his words earning him a slap at the back of the head by Lanie.

"Hey, I'm sorry, but I have to go." Hank said, coming back to the table.

"Is everything alright?" Gates asked, suddenly concerned.

"Oh yes, everything's fine. It's just Jackson. He forgot his house keys so they can't get inside the house. I'll go open for them."

"Right. The moment this kid will remember to put his shoes on before going out we'll all be billionaires!" Gates said, laughing.

"You know what, you don't have to leave. Tell them to come over. We'll keep them pieces of the cake. We'll just have to hide them from Javier, that's all." Rick said.

"Really? You don't mind?" Hank asked. He was having a really good time with his wife's team and wasn't really happy to have to leave.

"No, of course we don't mind. Just call them. We'll wait for them to cut the cake." Kate said, smiling.

While Hank went to call his sons back, the other left the table to gather in the living room to chat. Kate walked to Gates and asked her if they could talk privately. She led her into Rick's office. Rick saw them leave the group and enter his office. He knew exactly what was going on and couldn't help but smile. She was really going to do it!

* * *

**So, what did you think?  
**

**Ready for a very ... surprising Kate/Gates talk?**


	15. Chapter 15

When Kate had closed the door of the office, she turned around only to be faced with a concerned-looking Victoria Gates.

"Kate, is everything ok?" she asked.

"What? Oh yes, everything is fine. Perfect even." Kate answered, smiling. "I just … I wanted to talk to you in private."

"Sure. No problem." Gates said, sitting on the sofa opposing Rick's desk.

Kate started pacing the office, trying to gather her courage and the right words.

"Well?" Gates asked.

"Can I have Monday off? Because I have a doctor's appointment at 1pm and…"

"Of course you can have a day off Kate. But that's not what you wanted to talk to me about is it?" Gates asked gently.

"No. I … I don't know how to …"

"Just get it out Kate. Contrary to what most people seem to think, I'm quite good at listening. And I do have feelings, contrary to popular legend, and right now you're making me nervous."

"Right." Kate said, determination in her voice. "I want to stop working on the field until the baby's born."

"Ok. That's not a problem."

"Really?" Kate asked, more than surprised by the other woman's understanding.

"Of course. I see a lot of myself in you Kate. And I'm glad you're not going to make the same mistakes I made. Take all the time you need. As member of the NYPD you can take up to twelve weeks of paid maternity leave, either before or after the birth of your baby. Plus, I'm sure that with all the hours you did outside of your actual schedule since you've started, you could go on vacation for at least a year." Gates said, laughing lightly.

"Oh, I don't want to stop completely, not at the beginning anyway but just, you know, stay at the precinct, do some interrogation, make phone calls, and pour over financials …"

"That doesn't seem really fun." Gates remarked.

"It's not, but I don't want to put my baby in harm's way." Kate said, looking at her still flat stomach.

Noticing that Gates hadn't said anything and hadn't moved for a few seconds, Kate looked up and saw her Captain as she would never have imagined. Victoria Gates was fighting back tears.

"Are you ok Capt … Victoria?" Kate asked, sitting down next to her on the sofa.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just … one of the mistakes I told you about was keep working until too far in my pregnancy and … I lost my baby girl at 30 weeks."

"Oh … I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said …"

"No Kate, it's ok, really. It's not your fault. I have accepted it but it just … springs back on you sometimes you know? But I'm really glad you're not planning on working until the end. And if you did, I would have certainly ordered you on sick leave."

Their conversation was cut short by the doorbell ringing.

"Well, that would be my sons, we should go back." Gates said, getting up. "I … I trust you to keep what I told you to yourself?"

"Of course! Don't worry about that, I won't tell anyone." Kate assured her.

As she watched her leave the office, Kate saw a new woman. Sure, Captain Gates was a strict and by-the-book police officer, but Victoria Gates was simply a woman, with her faults and her strength. When Kate joined everyone in the living room, Rick rushed to her.

"Are you ok?" he asked her softly so as not to be overheard by the others.

"Yes, why?"

"Well, I don't know what happened in there," he said, nodding towards the office, "but both Gates and you have red eyes."

"Don't worry. I'm perfectly fine." She said, kissing him lovingly before joining Lanie and Jenny who were setting the table for dessert.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

As they were all enjoying the really good chocolate mousse cake Jenny had made from scratch, Kate couldn't help but see Alexis talk with Jackson Gates and laugh. It was nice to see her laugh again after what she had been through two weeks before. As it appeared, the day after Kate and Rick had visited her on campus and met with Max, Alexis had seen him kiss another girl in the library. She had been devastated and came running into Kate's arms, crying her eyes out. When Rick ad heard what happened, he wanted to go and kill the boy and Kate had to threaten to lock him in his office if he didn't calm down. Alexis was heartbroken but she decided to end it with Max. She was outraged when he told her it was "just a kiss". Wasn't that enough? So she told him they were over and came back to cry into Kate's arms. The first days had been really hard for her but she seemed to be better now. Ad seeing how she was laughing tonight made Kate really happy.

Everyone was silent around the table, eating the cake, when suddenly Tyler Gates spoke.

"Alexis, you're hot!" he said.

"Tyler!" both his parents and his brother exclaimed while Alexis was choking on her drink.

"What's wrong with you? Seriously! Do you ever think before you talk?" Jackson asked him, clearly angry.

"It's ok …" Alexis said, trying to stop coughing.

"No it's not ok Alexis." Gates said. "Ty, give me your phone." She asked.

"But Mom …"

"No buts Ty, I warned you! Now, hand your phone over. And when we get home, I'm changing the password on the computer. For two weeks and don't even think about protesting or it's gonna be more." Gates said. "Now, you go sat on the couch and you don't touch anything."

"But the cake …"

"Don't worry, Esposito will eat it for you." Hank said.

"When did I become the guy who eats all the cake?" Javier asked, making everyone laugh.

"Bro, you always eat all the cake." Ryan said.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

When everyone had left, Rick and Kate cleared the tables and put everything away in the kitchen before getting ready for bed. Around three in the morning, they were finally in bed.

"This was a really good party." Rick said, cuddling into Kate and caressing her stomach as he had been doing since he learned about her pregnancy.

"Yeah, it was really nice. I saw you got along great with Hank. He's nice, isn't he?"

"He's great. He used to be in the army you know? And he said I could call him if I needed information for a book." Rick said, excited.

"Yeah. I think he's teaching criminality at NYU now."

"Well, it must run in the Gates' family." He laughed.

"Speaking of family. Alexis seemed to like Jackson a lot." Kate said, a smile on her face.

"What? Really?" Rick asked, clearly surprised.

"You didn't see it?" Kate asked. "It was so obvious! I think even Gates noticed. He kept making her laugh, she blushed several times and they didn't stop talking. I think they would be great together." She mused.

"Together as in …"

"Together as in a couple."

"Wow wow wow, slow down here Kate. They met like four hours ago." Rick said, panic in his voice.

"No, I'm sure they'd be great together." Kate said, teasing him.

"No, she can't date him. He's …" Rick said, searching for the right way to put it.

"Because he's black? Really Rick!" Kate asked, completely shocked.

"No! Of course not. I don't care if he's black or white or green. But he's … he's a Gates!" Rick said as if it were the worst thing in the world.

Kate couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"It's not funny." Rick grumbled, turning his back to her in the bed, which only made her laugh harder.

* * *

**So ... what did you think of this chapter? I'd really love to have your opinion ^^  
**


	16. Chapter 16

**Here is chapter 16, enjoy !**

* * *

When Kate came back to the precinct on Tuesday morning, she was immediately called in the Captain's office.

"Take a seat Kate." Gates said, closing the door of her office. "I thought about what you told me the other night, and I think I came up with a plan that will make everyone happy." She continued, smiling at her star detective.

"Ok."

"So, we still have a month before the summer holidays can begin. Until then, you can go to the crime scenes, with your vest on, even if there is no apparent danger. Are we clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Then, if the vest doesn't fit before you leave for summer break, you stay here. Your summer break will be of four weeks, take them whenever you want as long as it fits the rotation schedule. When you come back, you certainly won't be able to put your vest on, so you'll stay here. Esposito will be appointed temporary leader of the team. A new member will be added to the team until you come back to us in full capacity. Are you ok with that?" Gates asked, smiling softly.

"Yes, it seems perfect. I uh … I wondered if I could take my summer break in July? Because , well, I feel really tired right now and …"

"Don't worry Kate, July is fine. And the exhaustion doesn't last forever, just the first two or three months." Gates explained.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Kate Beckett was happy. She was getting married to the man of her dreams, she was pregnant with his child, she had been back to work for two weeks and had only one more week to go before her summer break, and she was enjoying her weekend off in Central Park.

When they had seen how good the weather was that morning, Rick and Kate had decided to spend the day in the park, having a picnic and taking a walk. They were currently finishing their lunch under the shade of a tree.

"Well, if the weather stays like that for your month off, it's gonna be awesome! We can spend all days outside, taking in the sun." Rick said, getting everything back into the backpack he had brought.

"Yeah. I think what we planned is good. Two weeks in the Hamptons, two weeks at my dad's cabin. I can't wait to be there. I think it's the first year I'm so happy to go on vacation." Kate laughed. "Is Alexis coming up for Independence Day?"

"I don't know. She was supposed to but now that she's met Jackson, she seems to make plans only with him." Rick grumbled.

"Hey, grumpy daddy, it's normal, she's growing up, deal with it." Kate scolded, getting up. "Maybe he could come too."

"What?"

"Jackson, maybe he could come up too." Kate repeated.

"Why are you taking his side against me all the time?" Rick asked, pouting.

"Come on Rick, I'm not taking his side." Kate laughed, taking his hand and starting to walk. "It's just … she seems so happy when they're together. And she said they are just friends, so what's the big deal?"

"Just friends? Have you seen how he looks at her? It just feels so wrong!"

"Rick, she's going to be 21 this year. She has the right to have a boyfriend."

"A boyfriend? I thought you said they were just friends." Rick said, turning back to her.

"Well, that's what she told me but we both knew it would get to something more." Kate reasoned.

"and how do you know it has changed?"

Kate didn't need to speak. Rick simply followed her eyes and understood right away. Alexis was there, sitting on a bench, kissing Jackson Gates! When they broke apart, both had huge smiles on their faces. Kate reacted just in time to grab Rick by the shirt.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked, hands on her waist.

"I'm going to see them." He simply said.

"No you're not, you're going to leave them alone. And we're going to walk back home and make the most of this beautiful sun. Now let's go." Kate declared, pulling him by the arm.

On their way back to the loft, Kate felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

_New message from Alexis: Thank you. IOU_

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Alexis is coming for dinner tonight." Rick said, putting his phone back on the coffee table and letting himself fall on the couch.

"Wow, you seem really happy to see her." Kate said, laughing lightly from behind her book.

"She's bringing Jackson with her." He simply said, as if it were the good explanation for his behavior.

"Well, I think that's a good idea."

"Kate, you have to stop defending him." Rick said, rather angry.

"Hey! What's your problem here Rick?" Kate asked, getting up to go and sit next to him. "Why do you hate him so much?"

"It's not him it's … I … I don't want Alexis to get hurt again."

There, he had said it. He was scared for his little girl. Kate melted in front of him, she always did when he acted as a protective father.

"She's gonna be fine Rick, she's a strong girl." Kate reassured him, taking his hands in hers.

"I know that, but she was so sad when she saw Max and that other girl. She was so hurt. And knowing that she gave herself to that …"

"I know. Believe me, I wanted to kill him too. But that's part of life. Unfortunately, it looks like you have to get hurt to be able to grow up. And Jackson is different. He seems more down-to-earth than Max was."

"But he's 24 and she's just 20!" Rick almost whined.

"When you were 24 I was 16 so find another excuse."

"Don't say that! It makes me some kind of pervert!" Rick said, a smile coming back on his face. "I just don't want him to bring her into something bad, something illegal or …"

"Rick, he's the son of a former military and a Captain in the NYPD! And he's studying to become a teacher for special need kids. Why does he look suspicious to you?" Kate asked gently.

"Don't ruin my thoughts with your logic." He grumbled.

"I completely understand that you can be worried. But what if he is the love of her life? Do you want to be responsible for her being forced to live with second-best?"

"No."

"I know it's scary. And I know it can seem rather soon after what happened with Max but did you see them this afternoon? They looked so happy to be together. And I'm really convinced they will work."

"What, you're a psychic now?" Rick asked, laughing.

"I don't know, call it whatever you want. But I'll remind you of this very day when they get married."

"Kaaaaate! Don't talk about Alexis getting married, please!" he whined.

* * *

**So ... what did you think of this chapter?**

**Ready for a meet-the-over-protective-dad dinner?**


	17. Chapter 17

**Here is chapter 17, enjoy!**

* * *

When the door bell rang, Kate's eyes searched for Rick. She had managed to stop two of his evil plans before he even started them. She hoped she hadn't let anything pass without knowing it. Rick walked out of his office and headed for the door. When he noticed Kate watching him carefully, he couldn't help but laughed lightly.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill him." He said.

He opened the door and was faced with his daughter smiling at him. Jackson was much less at ease and tensed as soon as Rick appeared in the door. He let go of her hand and pulled on the sleeves of his jacket. After Alexis had hugged her father and went in the loft to Kate, Jackson hesitated. When he reached out to shake Rick's hand, he saw his hand trembling. He looked up to look at Rick and saw he had a strange smile on his face, one that said "you won't come out of this dinner alive". Jackson gulped and entered the loft, tensing even more when he heard Rick close the door behind him. This was going to be a very long dinner.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Half an hour into the dinner, Kate couldn't take it anymore.

"Ok, this has to stop!" she declared. "Rick, stop scaring the poor boy. You're making _me_ nervous! And you look like a psychopath! Stop it."

"Ah thank you Kate!" Alexis said, relief obvious in her tone.

Jackson, feeling that it was now or never, spoke for the first time without being questioned by Rick.

"Sir, could I talk to you in private?" he asked.

Rick simply nodded, got up and went into his office. Jackson followed, looking back at Alexis for encouragement before disappearing behind the closing door of the office.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"So, what do you think will happen in there?" Kate asked Alexis as the two of them continued eating.

"I don't know. And I'm pretty sure I don't even want to know." She answered. "Thank you for this afternoon by the way. I didn't see you but Jackson did. You should have seen his face!" she continued.

"What it anywhere near that terrified-lost-little-boy look he had on when you guys arrived?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, pretty much." Alexis laughed.

"You're happy with him right?" Kate asked, suddenly very serious.

"Yes, I'm very happy. At first I thought it was too soon, that I couldn't really be with a guy after what Max did. But I told Jackson and he completely understood. He said he would wait for me to be ready and that we could be just friends in the meantime. It lasted about a week." Alexis laughed. "He's just … he so different! He's nice, he's funny, he's sweet …"

"Wow, you got it bad!" Kate laughed.

"I know." Alexis said, blushing furiously. "So, changing the subject now. Did you start planning the wedding?" she asked, her eyes shining with anticipation.

"No, not really. I was going to start during the summer. But we have to find a date soon, so we can really start planning everything."

"Do you want to get married before the baby's born or after." Alexis asked.

"I'd prefer after. I don't want to rush into anything. But I'd like to have most of it ready before the baby comes, so that I can focus on him or her for a while." Kate said, her hand automatically going to rest on her stomach.

"When are you due?"

"Well, I don't have a precise date yet but since I found out in May I suppose sometime in February."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

In the office, things were a bit tensed. Rick was sitting behind his desk, Jackson was standing in front of him, trying to find the courage to talk.

"Sir, I know you must hate me and …" he started, stopping when Rick held his hand up.

"I don't hate you Jackson. I just don't want my daughter to get hurt again. I find you quite nice to say the truth. And you seem to make her happy. But I have to make sure you're not going to hurt her like this jackass did."

"I won't Sir, I swear. Alexis told me what happened with this guy and would nothing do that to her … or to anyone else for that matter. I told her I was willing to wait for her to know what she wanted."

"Why would you do that?" Rick asked, intrigued by the young man.

"I really like her Sir. I know we only met like three weeks ago but I feel this sort of connection to her. I don't even know how to explain it."

"Did you sleep with her?" Rick asked bluntly, looking at him in the eyes.

"What! No! No! Of course not! I … no!" Jackson answered, blushing, his eyes wide. "We kissed for the first time yesterday, I don't … no."

"That's good to know." Rick said, getting up. "Now, you listen to me. You're welcome here as long as you make my daughter happy. But I swear, the moment she comes crying because of you, you're a dead man, do I make myself clear?" he asked in a threatening, waiting for the boy to nod. "I don't care who your parents are, you hurt her, I hurt you, it's as simple as that."

"Ok. But I won't, I swear." Jackson said, trying to keep his voice strong.

"Then we don't have a problem." Rick declared, smiling. "Now ,let's go back and eat. If there's anything left. Kate eats much more now, I seriously wonder how many they are in there. Oh, and you can call me Rick." He through over his shoulder as he walked out of the office, leaving a very relieved Jackson Gates behind him.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

As they were getting ready for bed, Rick smiled.

"You know what? I think I really scared Jackson for a moment."

"Well, that's not something to boast about." Kate said, getting in bed.

"That's because you're a woman, you can't understand. It's some kind of rite of passage. If you don't scare your daughter's boyfriend, then you don't deserve the title of father."

"Did my father ever scare you?" Kate asked, rolling on her side to face him.

"Uh … not that I can remember. Oh my God, maybe he's waiting for just before the wedding, hopping I will run away. But I will not do it Kate, I swear, I'll never leave you." Rick panicked.

"I know." She laughed. "But don't worry, I think you're safe." She said, scooting closer to him to cuddle into his side.

"So, what did you and Alexis talk about while I was terrorizing the boy?" Rick asked, hugging her to his side.

"The wedding." She answered, smiling. "She doesn't know it yet, but she's gonna be my maid of honor."

"Really? What about Lanie?" Rick asked, surprised.

"She'll understand. I'll bribe her with being godmother." Kate laughed lightly.

* * *

**So ... what did you think?**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey everyone! how are you? Did you survive this epic 100th episode?**

**Seriously, it had to be the best epidode ever ! i watched it like three times a day!**

**anyway, here is chapter 18, ejoy!**

* * *

« Oh God ! I love this house ! » Kate sighed as she immersed herself in the hot tub on the back porch.

"Well I love it too if it brings noises like this out of you." Rick laughed, joining her.

"Why don't you always live here? How can you leave?"

"It's nice, but spending all the year here would be kind of boring. There's not much to do around here when it's not summer. But it's nice being able to come here whenever I want." Rick explained, letting himself relax in the hot bubbling water.

"When is everyone coming?"

"Alexis and Jackson should arrive the day after tomorrow and the others the following day. That way everyone will have a relaxing day here before the 4th July festivities."

"That's nice that you invited everyone out here."

"Well, I'm known to be a nice man." He replied, closing his eyes and letting himself go deeper in the water.

Kate smiled, looking at him. He really was a nice man. One of the nicest she had ever met. Her smile turned into a smirk as she moved to face him. He opened his eyes when he felt her in front of him.

"What?" he asked, smiling back at her.

"I love you. She simply said, kissing him lightly.

"I love you too." He said, putting his hands on her hips and drawing her closer to him.

"Now, since you're a nice man, will you help me get rid of my suit?" Kate asked innocently in his ear.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Kate, you're ready?" Rick asked from the bottom of the stairs.

"Just a second!" she called back.

"Come on, we're going to the market, not a fashion show." He grumbled.

"What did you say?" Kate asked, coming down the stairs.

"Uh … no … nothing. I … uh … you look … wonderful."

"Thanks. It's just an old summer dress. You like it?" Kate asked, already knowing the answer if the look on his face was any indication.

"Yeah, yeah, I like it." He answered, his eyes glued to her. "You look like the sun."

"Oh, you're so nice." Kate said, kissing him. "Now let's go to the market. Can we walk there?"

"Sure, let's go!"

They walked to the market and spent about two hours there. Rick couldn't help but smile every time Kate stopped in front of a stall selling baby stuff. Her eyes were shining and her smile was brighter that he had ever seen. Pregnancy suited her, there was no doubt about that. As she was looking at a stall selling old fashioned teddy bears, she heard a child crying. She looked around, finding a little girl crying behind a stall of candy. She let go of Rick's hand and walked to the girl.

"Hey Sweetie. Are you lost?" Kate asked calmly. "What's your name?" she continued after the girl had nodded.

"Katie." the little girl said.

"Really, that's funny. My name's Katie as well." she said.

"That's not true." the little girl said, calming down. "Are you trying to steal me?"

"What? No, of course not. But it's true. My name is Katie. Well, it's Katherine buy my daddy always calls me Katie. How old are you?" Kate asked.

"Six."

"Do you want me to help you find your mommy?"

"Yes please." Katie said, tears coming back in her eyes.

"Ok, what does she look like?"

Katie seemed to think for a while before answering. "She had dark hair, a red dress and a really big belly because I'm having a baby brother."

"Wow, that's cool!" Kate said. "You know what, I'm sure if you climb on Rick's shoulders here, you can see your mommy in the crowd. And then you tell him where to go, he can bring you back to your mommy."

"Like a horse?" Katie asked.

"Yes Sweetie, almost like a horse. You can even pull on his ears to make him turn."

That made Katie laughed and Rick was happy to oblige. From her horse, the little girl found her mother rather quickly and in less than two minutes, the group of three went to meet her.

"Oh my God Katie!" the woman cried, taking her daughter in her arms as close as her pregnant stomach would allow her. "Where were you, I looked everywhere."

"We found her behind a candy stall." Kate said.

For the first time, the woman looked away from her daughter and went to hug Kate.

"Thank you so much for bringing my baby back to me."

"You're welcome. But my fiancé did most of the work." Kate said, looking for him and finding him further, buying some candy.

"He's a horse mommy. I was on his back and I had to pull on his ears to make him turn." Katie giggled.

Her mother looked up to Beckett with a really confused look on her face. Before she had time to say anything though, Rick came back and gave the candy to Katie.

"Here you go Sweetie, I think you deserve some of those after all this emotion." he said, smiling sweetly at the girl.

He looked up and was ready to talk to her mother when he froze. Kate looked at him, not understanding what was happening. She turned to the mother and saw her frozen as well. What the hell was going on?

"Ricky? Is that you?" the mother asked, tears falling down her cheeks as she started to shiver.

As an answer, Rick walked to her and hugged her tight, well, as tight as her being pregnant would allow him. Neither of them said anything, they just hugged each other. Kate and Katie looked completely lost.

"What is happening?" the little girl asked.

"I don't know Sweetie." Kate answered, still looking at the scene. She got even more confused and concerned when she saw that Rick was fighting back tears.

"Rick?" she asked softly, walking to him and putting her hand on his shoulder. "Rick please, tell me what's going on here."

The two huggers separated and Rick looked at Kate with a really big smile on his face while the woman reassured her daughter that everything was ok.

"Rick, who is she?" Kate asked again, not too loud so that the two others couldn't hear her.

"She's Angela. She's my sister." he simply said, squeezing her hand, a fresh wave of tears coming into his eyes.

* * *

**So ... what did you think of this chapter?  
**

**Next chapter: the explanation!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Here is chapter 19, enjoy !**

* * *

"What ? Rick, you don't have any sister ! " Kate said, really concerned for him now.

"No, I know. I mean, she's not biologically my sister. But we adopted each other when we were kids." Rick said.

"Are you sure you're ok Rick? You're not making any sense." Kate said, really worried about him.

"You're right. Let's go home, I'll explain everything." he said. "Would you like to come over for dinner tonight with your family? I would really love for all of us to get together in a more … private setting." he asked to Angela.

"Yes, sure. Here, that's my number." she said, giving him a card. "Text me with the details. It was really nice to meet you." she said to Kate before leaving with Katie.

Kate was brought out of her thoughts when she felt Rick hug her tight.

"Let's go home. I'll explain everything." he said, kissing her sweetly.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

When they had come back from the market, they had prepared a light lunch and were now eating on the back porch. Kate could see that Rick was not eating. He played around with his food.

"Rick, please tell me what's going on, I'm getting really worried here." Kate almost begged.

"I'm sorry. It's just … I really didn't expect to see her again." Rick said, trying to smile.

"Who is she? And don't say your sister because you don't have any."

"She was my neighbor for like ten years. Mother and me, we lived in this tiny apartment in Brooklyn. She was taking as many jobs as she could to pay the rent and I was just going to school and helping when I could. She had just been dropped by yet another boyfriend who left with pretty much everything and one night, she just couldn't stop crying so I went looking for help and I ended up at the Blakes' door." Rick said, trying to keep the tears at bay.

"Oh I'm sorry Rick, I didn't know. You don't have to tell me if …"

"Yes I do Kate. I know pretty much everything about your life before we met but you don't know anything about me, about my childhood. And we're getting married and having a baby. You should know what you're signing up for." he tried to joke, failing miserably.

"I know who you are Rick." Kate said, thinking back on what Meredith had told her once. "And I don't want you to be sad." she continued, trying not to let her own tears fall. At least now she could blame it on the hormones, even if it was not all their doings.

"Oh no, it's not a sad memory. Well … that particular night yes but it was all for the better. I met Angela and her parents that night and they helped Mother get back to herself, I became friend with Angela. Well, more than friend. She was … is like a sister to me. We actually adopted each other when I was twelve. She was eight and she saw a TV show about adoption and since neither of us had siblings we thought we would be each other's sibling. I looked for the forms at the library and I photocopied one. I made one almost identical on a type writer and that was it." Rick explained, smiling softly at the memory. "You know, we lived at the very end of a hall way on our floor and our doors were facing each other. We dressed a sort of altar out of card boxes covered by a table cloth and we had a very official ceremony. The super played the judge and both our mothers were present. We even had a celebration after that, I think I still have some photos somewhere at the loft." he laughed.

"And your parents actually played along?" Kate asked, smiling.

"Yeah. Well, we were both pretty lonely children. She had some serious difficulties at school because almost everyone was bullying her and I didn't have many friends either so, I think our parents were happy to finally see us connect with someone else who was about our age. I used to hang out with my mother a lot backstage but it's not the same as having a real friend you know? Of course they were all really nice to me but it was not really the same. She was the one who first told me I should tell stories when I grow older." Rick remembered, a soft smile on his face.

"I'll have to thank her for that." Kate said, smiling at him. "But why did she tell you that?"

"Well, one day a man handed me _Casino Royale_ in a book shop and I absolutely loved it. I read it to Angela and then she asked for more stories so I invented them. After a while she told me I should write them down so I wouldn't forget them and one day they had a meeting with an author at her school and she told me that it's what I should do. And since that day … I know it'll sound cliché but … I never imagined myself doing anything else." Rick explained.

"You should tell her to come on the 4th of July, I'm sure Martha would be delighted to see her again." Kate said, taking his hand in hers.

"You're the best, you know that? That's a great idea." he said, bending over the table to kiss her quickly.

"What … uh … what happened between the two of you. I mean, you said you really didn't expect to see her again and …"

"It's ok Kate. It's just … Life happened you know? When I was fifteen my mother sent me to boarding school so I saw Angela only on the weekends. And then her parents moved to Atlanta. We called each other and wrote letters. A few years later both her parents died in a car crash and that's when we lost contact. I remember seeing it on the news. A drunk truck driver made at least five cars crash and her parents were in one of them, I recognized the car because we had put our very own bumper sticker on it. I lost track of her after that. I don't know if she was sent in the system or if someone from her family took her but I didn't know how to reach her and she didn't contact me again. And by the end, I think I kind of lost hope you know? And maybe it's stupid but even today, when there's something I don't recognize in the mail my first thought is always that she found me back and that she's writing to me." Rick said, letting Kate who had moved on his lap dry the tears that were falling down his cheeks.

"But you found her now. And she's coming over tonight for dinner. You'll be together again." Kate reassured him, caressing his cheek.

"Yeah. It's truly a miracle we reunited."

"Well, you know, Katies are really helpful girls." Kate laughed. "Now, tell me, was there a special meal that the two of you were crazy about? Maybe we can cook that as a celebration for your reuniting." Kate proposed.

"You know what? If you cook dinner, do whatever you want, but I take care of the dessert. I know exactly what to make." Rick said excitedly, a huge grin on his face.

* * *

**So, what do you think of this chapter?  
**


	20. Chapter 20

**Here is chapter 20, enjoy!**

* * *

At six o'clock sharp, the doorbell of Richard Castle's Hamptons house rang. And the grown man almost run to open the door. When he opened it, he found Angela on the other side, looking as excited as him. Just like when they were kids.

"What's the password?" Rick asked, a huge smile on his face.

" spies don't like spiders." Angela answered really seriously.

"Really, that's your password?" Kate asked, laughing behind Rick's back.

"Hey, we were children!" he protested, moving aside to let his guests come in the house.

"Hi, so … you're the famous Ricky Rodgers she has not stopped talking about uh? I'm Mark." Angela's husband introduced himself, shaking Rick's hand.

"Yeah, that would be me. Here is Kate, my fiancée." he answered.

"Hello Katie." Katie said, passing through the door.

"Hello Katie." Kate said, making the little girl giggle and run to her mother.

Kate couldn't help but smile. She still had a long time to wait but she'd really like to have her child running around the house. She was brought out of her thoughts when Rick came to see her.

"Are you ok?" he asked, sounding concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just impatient for our child to come." she said, kissing him quickly before going in the kitchen to bring the drinks out for everyone.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

The dinner went well, Rick and Angela obviously enjoying their reunion. As the woman had explained earlier, she didn't keep in touch with Rick because after her parents' death, after a short stay at a foster home, she was sent to her uncle's in Australia and he didn't want her to write to anyone from what he called her "previous life". By the time she managed to get her hand on paper at school, Rick and Martha must have moved because they never received the letters she sent. Not hearing back from him, she simply gave up. And when she heard of him again, in a newspaper for the publication of his first novel, she figured he had other things to do and decided not to contact him. This revelation had let to a very emotional embrace between the two friends, both of them promising never to lose contact again.

As Angela and her family were leaving, Rick remembered Kate's proposition earlier that afternoon.

"Uh … do you have plans for the 4th of July?" Rick asked Angela. "Because we're having a little gathering with friends and my mother will be there too. I'm sure she'd love to see you again."

"Well, we planned a picnic on the beach for lunch but we can stop by afterwards if that's ok. I'd really like to see your mother again too." Angela said.

"Of course. Just come by whenever you want. Everyone is staying here for the weekend anyway." Kate said, smiling as Katie played with her doll in her father's arms.

"Ok, well, see you soon then." Angela said before heading to their car.

As Kate and Rick were tidying everything up, Kate found the dress of one of Katie's dolls behind a cushion on the sofa. She sat dawn and played with it for a while.

"You really like her uh?" Rick asked, coming to sit by her side.

"Yeah. She's really nice and sweet and polite. And she's just so curious about everything."

"She reminds me of Angela when we were kids." Rick mused. "I definitely hope, for Mark and Angela's sake that she won't be as mischieving as we were."

"I can totally picture you as the kid who seemed quiet and nice but who took advantage of every situation to draw attention to him." Kate laughed.

"You know me so well." was all Rick could say.

They stayed seated next to each other on the sofa, both thinking of their child to come, picturing a perfect future family life.

"What do you want to have?" Kate asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Do you want a boy or a girl?" Kate asked. "And don't say you don't care. You have to have a preference."

"Oh, well … I guess I'd like to have a boy. I mean, I'd be beyond happy if the baby is a girl but I already did it you know? It would be nice to experiment that with a baby boy." Rick said.

"I can totally imagine a mini-you running around the loft and driving me crazy." Kate laughed, resting her hands on her still flat stomach.

"And you? What would you prefer?" Rick asked, drawing her further into his side by putting his arm around her shoulder.

"Uh … I don't know. It's all very new to me. I mean, of course I thought about having children when I was younger but not so much after my mother died. I was so focused on all the bad in this world, it didn't even cross my mind. Even in more or less serious relationships, I never really thought about it."

"But you're happy right?" Rick asked, concerned.

"Of course I'm happy Rick!" I'm pretty sure I've never been so happy in my life. You're the only one who managed to bring me back entirely in the bright side Rick." she said, kissing him lovingly. "I can only see you when I think of my children's father."

"Children uh? Plural?" Rick asked, pulling Kate on his lap.

"Well, if you feel up to it. I mean, you obviously have a say in the matter and you're not getting any younger." Kate teased, kissing him more passionately and starting to work on his shirt.

"I'll show you old!" Rick replied, unzipping her summer dress and brushing the thin straps off Kate's shoulders, along with her bra straps. "And I'll have you know, future Mrs. Castle, that I'll give you a million babies if you wanted. I love Children." he said, pushing her so that she laid on her back on the sofa.

"Dad, we're here!" Alexis called from the front door, stopping and turning around when she saw her father and his girlfriend. "Sorry we came earlier than expected … uh … we'll get the luggage from Jackson's car." she said, walking straight out of the house.

"Get used to it." Rick said to Kate who had hidden under her hands from embarrassment. "Many children necessarily means more interruptions. Children tend to have a very bad sense of timing." he laughed, kissing Kate on the cheek before working on getting his shirt back on him.


	21. Chapter 21

**Here is chapter 21, enjoy!**

* * *

When Kate got up the following morning, she found Alexis in the kitchen, drinking coffee and leafing through a wedding magazine.

"Something you and Jackson have to announce?" Kate asked, going to pour herself a cup of decaf.

"What? Oh no. No, no, no! I just found it on the coffee table and …"

"Don't worry Alexis, I know." Kate laughed. "I bought it yesterday. Do you think we could look through more things about the wedding this weekend?"

"Sure! I brought some things with me. I did some research these last few weeks and I have a whole folder about flowers, decoration, dresses, and …"

"Did you take time to study for your exams?" Kate laughed.

After a few minutes of the two of them silently eating breakfast, Kate couldn't wait anymore.

"Do you have this folder here?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'll go get it." Alexis smiled, rushing up the stairs.

When Rick woke up and went downstairs about an hour later, the dining table was submerged in opened magazine, sheets of paper and Kate's laptop.

"What's going on here?" Rick asked, kissing both his girls on the head.

"We're planning the wedding." Kate said, excitedly, almost jumping in her seat. "Well, we're trying anyway. We really have to decide on a date so we can plan everything else."

"Give me a minute to get my coffee. I'll be right back." Rick said, yawning before leaving for the kitchen.

When he came back, Kate had a 2014 calendar ready for him.

"So, I was thinking next summer would be nice. Maybe end of August, start of September so that the baby is born and we have some time to get used to him or her. Plus, I'll need time to get back in shape." Kate explained. "We need a date really soon so that we can book a venue, a caterer and the other people needed but we'll see the rest later. What do you think?"

"I think that you thought a lot about all of this." Rick said, looking at her with loving eyes. "It's the first time my bride asks me what I think about my wedding, you know?"

"Really? How come?" Kate asked, saddened by the admission.

"Well, with Meredith it was … kind of hurried thanks to missy here." he said, looking at Alexis with a smile. "And with Gina … well, let's say that she considered our wedding more as a business event than a wedding in which I had a say."

"Well, since this is your LAST wedding and since it is actually YOUR wedding as much as mine, you have a say in absolutely everything." Kate said, kissing him. "Except for the dress of course. You have absolutely no right about that. It will be a complete surprise. I'll have to find one before I start showing though, to be sure to have one I love." she said, turning back to Alexis who was taking notes.

"Ok, I saw some nice-looking stores the other day when I went shopping with Jackson. So Dad, take the calendar. You really need to decide on a date."

Rick took the calendar Kate handed him and studied it for a while.

"What do you think of the 30th of August?" he asked Kate. "That way we can make the most of the summer and the weather will be nice. And for the honeymoon, we'll have more choice because the summer holidays will be over for most people. What do you think?"

"I think we're getting married on Saturday August 30th 2014." Kate said, a big smile on her face and a few tears in her eyes before throwing herself at Rick and kissing him passionately.

"I'm getting more coffee." Alexis said even if she knew they were not listening to her.

She really loved that they were together but still couldn't help but feel shy when they were all lovey-dovey with each other. And she had had enough with what she had walked in on the previous night.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Rick, stop looking for them. Leave them alone for a while!" Kate scolded.

"But they were kissing and …"

"You do realize that makes you sound like a creep right? Now sit down and go back to your writing. I'll need a new Nikki Heat to read when I can't move because your child's making me as big as a whale." Kate said.

"Fine." Rick said, dropping on his chair.

They were both on the back porch, making the most of the warm shaded area. Kate was laying down on the swing seat, reading a wedding magazine and Rick was seated at the table with his laptop. He hadn't written much though, he was too busy keeping an eye on Alexis and Jackson who were walking down the beach, holding hands. And kissing, a lot, much to his dismay. He wanted to find something that Jackson was not the best at for Alexis but that was proving more difficult than he thought. He had started that morning, when the girls were talking about the wedding. He couldn't help but comment on Jackson still being in bed at 11. His attempt was ruined when Alexis told him he had gone for a run about an hour before. As hard as it was for Rick to admit it, Jackson Gates seemed to be a good man. And Alexis seemed really happy with him. That was what scared him the most actually. He had never seen her like that with her other boyfriends. She was completely herself with Jackson and didn't have to hide some sides of her personality – like her love for studying – when she was with him.

Rick was brought out of his thoughts when he heard something fell on the floor. He turned around to find that Kate had fallen asleep and her magazine had dropped on the floor. He smiled as he picked it up. He would never have pictured Kate Beckett as the girly girl she was when she talked about the wedding. She looked like a little girl who had been told she could be a real princess. It was so cute.

He went back to his writing and was stuck with inspiration. That was one of the effects Kate had on him. He did not go very far though. Indeed, a flash of red hair and a door slamming next to him. He looked up from his laptop to find Jackson running to the house. Behind him, Kate had been startled awake and was looking around, completely lost.

"What's happening?" she asked, trying to rub any traces of sleep out of her eyes.

"I don't know." Rick said, confused. "Jackson, what did you do to Alexis?" he asked threateningly when the young man reached them.

"I didn't do anything!" he protested. "We were on the beach … uh, kissing … and suddenly this woman comes to us and tells me to, and I quote, 'take my dirty black hands' off Alexis. I was too shocked to react but Alexis slapped the woman and came here running and crying. What happened?" Jackson asked, panic becoming clear on his face.

"Who was that woman?" Kate asked.

"I don't know. But given Alexis's face I suppose she knew her. She had red hear and …"

"Hey Kitten!" a sultry voice said behind them.


	22. Chapter 22

**Here is chapter 22, enjoy!**

* * *

Kate sent Jackson back in the house to check on Alexis.

"Meredith, what are you doing here?" Rick almost growled, watching her come up the few stairs that led to the porch.

"I'm here on vacation. I rented a villa down the beach. I was working on my tan when I saw Alexis. She was being groped by that … that black guy!"

"Well, that black guy is her boyfriend. And what right do you have to interfere in her love life like that?" Kate asked, really angry.

"What right? I'm her mother! You are no one to her and you're the one interfering in her life. And you're trying to turn her against me. But who are you? Just because Rick's screwing you at the moment doesn't give you any right on my daughter!" Meredith yelled.

Before either Rick or Kate could react, Alexis appeared in front of Kate.

"What did you just say?" she asked in a threatening tone. "I'm not your daughter. You may have given birth to me but your role as my mother stopped there. You were never there for me, even as a kid. You left before I was even one year old! Why are you trying to play mother now? As far as I'm concerned, Kate is my mother."

"It's ok Lex, I …" Kate started, taking her hand.

"No it's not ok Kate. She has no right talking to you like that. You've been more of a mother to me these last few years than she ever was." Alexis said, squeezing her hand. "You're my mother Kate, not her." She said, nodding towards Meredith.

"I think it's time you leave now Meredith." Rick said, looking at his daughter in his fiancée's arms, both of them in tears. "Jackson, can you take them inside please?"

The young man nodded and led the two women inside, settling them in the living room.

"So, I see you're not going to do anything about that black boyfriend of hers?" Meredith asked, looking disgusted.

"Of course not! Why would I do anything? She's happy with him and that's all that matters. You should be happy for her." Rick said, astounded by his ex-wife's attitude.

"Well, I'm not ok with it. I won't see her as long as she's with him." Meredith declared.

"I don't think that'll be an issue for Alexis given the way you have treated her the last few times you saw her." Rick couldn't help but say.

"And you're happy about that right? Your Kate ends up being the hero in all of this …"

"Stop it Meredith! Why do you have to be such a drama queen? You are the only one to blame for your relationship with Alexis. You were never there for her and you never even apologized for all the times you stood her up when she was a kid!"

"And I'm sure Kate is …"

"I'm not talking about Kate, I'm talking about you!" Rick yelled. "You are not the center of the world Meredith, nobody wants to make you look bad. You're doing it to yourself. And you better not pull something like that on Alexis ever again! You've done enough damage already. Consider yourself lucky if she calls you or writes you an email in the next year. Now leave, this is a private property and after what you just did, I won't hesitate to call the police." Rick said, turning around and heading inside the house.

"Is everything ok? I'm sorry if I caused trouble, really, I .." Jackson said.

"Don't worry, it's not your fault. That woman is crazy. Just be grateful Alexis hasn't inherited any of her character traits." Rick said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Dad, can we go out for lunch? I really want to get out of here for a while and it's almost 2."

"Sure. I'm certain a change of air could be good for everyone." Rick said, looking at Kate who nodded and got up from the sofa.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

During lunch, Alexis got back to her normal self little by little. After having too much seafood for their own good, the girls decided to do some shopping, taking the car and leaving the boys to their own devices. As they were going through the mall, Kate could see that Alexis had something on her mind. She didn't want to pry but she was afraid her mother had really hurt her.

"Are you ok Alexis?" Kate finally asked after a few minutes of silence.

"What? Oh yeah, I'm fine." Alexis said, smiling.

"Come on, I can tell something is bothering you. Is it because of what your mother said? because she's …"

"Oh no, that's not about her at all. I'm just … well, it's kind of embarrassing." the teen said, blushing slightly.

"You can ask me anything Alexis, you know that right?" Kate asked, leading Alexis to a nearby bench.

"Yeah, I know, but it's still embarrassing." Alexis laughed. "I just … I was wondering if maybe you and Dad could go out tonight? Like, most of the night?" she asked, crimson red.

"Sure. We could do with a night out." Kate said. "But you don't have to be embarrassed for wanting to spend some alone time with your boyfriend Alexis." she continued, smiling.

"I know, but it's weird to ask you to leave the house. I mean, we got used to being at college, alone. Jackson has a studio near campus and … well … we don't have to worry about that you know? And it's not necessarily to … do anything but … after what happened this morning I need some time with him."

"Did it happen before? you getting this kind of reactions?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, a couple of times. But I really don't care. I know Jackson takes it hard though. He tries to act as if it were nothing but I can see it. He's always more … reserved for a while after. He says that he doesn't care for him, that he's used to having some reflections from time to time, but that he doesn't want it to attain me. I really don't understand people. It's the twenty-first century for God's sake!"

"Some people can be narrow-minded. And some others can say they're ok with mixed couple but still don't really like it when they're confronted to it." Kate said, squeezing Alexis's hand.

"You and Dad did not think about that right?" she asked, suddenly realizing that it might have been a shock for them at first.

"No, of course not!" Kate said, smiling reassuringly at Alexis. "Your father's only reaction was not his color but the fact that he was a Gates."

"That sounds like Dad." Alexis laughed.

"Do you mind if we go back to the house now? I could use a nap and your father needs to make some reservations. You'll have the house for yourself until tomorrow morning."

"How are you going to convince Dad?"

"Oh, don't worry about me, I know how to make him do whatever I want." Kate said, seeing the teen blush. "Oh no, not like that!" she continued, blushing too. "Well, like that too, but that's not what I was thinking about." she laughed, hoping to avoid an awkward silence.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

When the two girls got back to the house, Rick and Jackson were having a Guitar Hero competition. When Jackson won and Rick started to pout, Kate decided to put her plan to execution. She sat down next to her future husband on the couch while the two youngsters were out on the porch.

"Rick, stop pouting. It's really not attractive."

"But he's the best at everything! EVERYTHING!"

"Oh come on, I'm sure that's not true. Now, stop pouting and get your phone, you need to make some reservation." Kate said with a decided tone.

"Why?"

"Because tonight, you're taking me out. So you need to call a restaurant. A romantic one but one where you actually have something to eat in your plate. And then you're taking me to the movies, it's been an eternity since I've been to the movies."

"Not that I'm complaining about the plan but what brought all that on?" Rick asked.

"Well, I realized that tonight is the last one we can have just the both of us, before everyone arrives for the weekend. And I want some romantic time with you." she said, kissing him lovingly for a few minutes. "Oh, and you should book a hotel room too. You definitely don't want your daughter to be two doors away from our bedroom for what I want to do to you tonight. Now, I'm going to take a nap." she said, getting up from the couch and walking to the stairs. "I'll need all my energy for tonight."

Rick couldn't move, his eye wide open following her up the stairs. As soon as she disappeared from his sight, he searched frantically for his phone. He started with calling the best beach-front hotel.


	23. Chapter 23

**Here is chapter 23, enjoy!**

* * *

Kate Beckett was a happy woman. And it was clear to everyone around her. It was the 4th of July and all her closest friends and family were at Rick's Hamptons house. She was observing everyone from the swing-seat, which had become her favorite nap-time spot. And she really needed a nap. The previous day had been exhausting, welcoming and settling everyone in the house. The fact that she didn't sleep much the night before definitely didn't help either. But it was so worth it!

That date night with Rick, she would never forget it. First, he had taken her to a really nice and intimate Italian restaurant. The place was so romantic with candles everywhere, it looked as if it had been taken out of a movie. And the food was delicious. Kate had never been so glad not to be having any nausea problems during her first months of pregnancy. It would have been a shame not to eat everything she was presented with. And particularly that chocolate cake! Then he had taken her to the movies, like she had – well, let's be honest – ordered him to. She didn't even know what movie they went to see, she couldn't even tell the story, she had been too busy making out with her fiancé at the back of the room. Then, they went to jazz club where they spent almost two hours dancing slowly, sensually and kissing lovingly. When they arrived at the hotel, Kate discovered that Rick had booked the nuptial suite. "Consider it as a rehearsal" he had said, kissing her neck and unzipping her little black dress.

Kate sighed, a smile on her face as she rolled on her side on the swing seat, looking for Rick. He was talking with the boys around the barbecue where her father was managing the grill. She stared at him for a while before he noticed her. He excused himself and walked towards her, her smile growing with every step he took.

"No one told you that staring was creepy, Detective?" Rick asked, sitting by her waist and rocking the seat.

"It's only creepy when you do it." she replied, her smile growing even more.

"You look happy." Rick said, caressing her cheek tenderly.

"I am happy." she said, taking his hand in her own. "I could not have asked for a better life Rick. I have everything I need right here. And you gave me most of it. I seriously don't know what I would have become if that crazy hadn't killed his sister and staged it like in your books." she continued, a lone tear rolling down her cheek.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Rick asked, catching it with his thumb.

"Yeah. It's just my hormones. They're making me kind of clingy today." she answered, sitting next to him, cuddling into his side as soon as he put his arm around her shoulders.

"They were making you quite horny the other night." Rick remarked, laughing lightly.

"I didn't hear you complain."

"Oh don't worry. You'll never hear me complain. I love pregnant and hormone-full Kate." he said, kissing her.

"I'll remind you you said that when I'm in a horrible mood and hating you for putting me through this. My dad told me my mother was really mean and unbearable when she was pregnant with me at the end."

"Well, it'll be worth it in the end. You're going to give me a beautiful baby."

They were staring in each other's eyes, having one of their famous we-don't-need-words-to-speak moments.

"Hey, when you're done being cute, the food's ready!" Esposito yelled from the dining table they had settled on the beach.

This reflection earned him a slap on the back of the head by both Lanie and Ryan, one coming from each side.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

The group was finishing their meal and was waiting a bit for desert when the doorbell rang. Rick asked Martha to go and answer it, wanting to surprise her but also give her some privacy before introducing Angela to everyone. Has he had expected, Martha had red-rimmed eyes when she led them to the table, Katie running towards Kate and giving her a picture she had drawn. Kate couldn't help but laugh when she recognized the scene: Kate, Rick and Katie were at the market, except that Rick was a horse but still had his actual man face.

After Angela had been introduced as a long lost family friend along with Mark and Katie, everyone had desert and enjoyed the afternoon, waiting for the picnic on the beach for dinner and fireworks.

Jackson, Ryan, Esposito and Mark were playing football on the beach, Martha and Angela were catching up on the lounge chairs, Jim, Rick and Jenny seemed to be engrossed in a very serious conversation, if their facial expressions were any indication, and Kate, Alexis and Lanie were playing with Katie. Sometimes in the pool, sometimes on the porch with the dolls she had brought and some of Alexis's old ones she had dug up from a storage room. After a while, Kate and Lanie laid down on towels on the beach, leaving Katie with Alexis to play dress up.

"You're really good with Katie." Lanie said, looking at Kate with a smile on her face.

"Yeah? You really think so? I'm not really sure. I don't really know what to do with kids."

"You're kidding right? You're a natural, girl!" Lanie exclaimed. "And let me tell you, you're going to be a great mom. If you're like that with someone else's child, imagine how it's going to be with your own!"

"It's the only thing I can think about Lanie." Kate confessed. "Every time I close my eyes, I see a mini-Rick running around. I just can't wait. I never thought I'd be one of those women but I can't help it." she laughed, hiding her face in her towel.

"It totally suits you." Lanie told her.

"I'm really happy right now Lanie. I didn't even think it was possible to be that happy. I only wish my mother could be here with us. Then my life would be absolutely perfect."

"She is here Kate. She's in you. You are a part of her. And after having talked with your father during lunch, it seems that you behave exactly like her too." Lanie said, smiling.

Just as Kate was going to answer, a shadow fell on the girls.

"Everything's ok here?" Rick asked, sitting down on the sand at the girls' heads.

"It's great Rick. Thank you for inviting all of us to come here. It feels like a real vacation even if it's just a long weekend." Lanie said, smiling at him.

"You're very welcome. It's nice to have all of you here. Spend some time together far away from work. Do you girls need anything?" he asked.

"Would you mind putting some sunscreen on my back?" Kate asked, smiling at him.

"I'd be more than happy to." he said, grinning as he reached for the sunscreen bottle.

"Keep it PG Rick, we have guests and an actual child around." Kate laughed.

On her towel, Lanie couldn't help but smile. The two of them were perfect for each other. She had never seen her friend so happy and she had Richard Castle to thank for that.


	24. Chapter 24

**Here is chapter 24, enjoy!**

* * *

After their picnic on the beach for dinner, the group waited, talking and laughing, while some master in fireworks Rick had hired was getting ready. When the show started, everyone grew quiet and just watched. Some were standing, others sitting on the sand. Katie was on her father's shoulders, clapping with every loud bang, her eyes as wide as saucers. Kate and Rick were sitting on the sand, Kate sitting in the V of his legs, her back to his chest., cuddled under a blanket. Kate buried herself deeper into him when she felt his hands rest on her stomach. She absolutely loved when he did that, his instincts of protection for his child more than explicit. She put her hands on his, wove their fingers together and place her head on his shoulder to appreciate the show.

When it was over, Angela's family left, Katie being already asleep in Mark's arms. Jim and Martha retreated to the house, along with Alexis and Jackson. The group of friends was left alone on the beach, sitting in a circle under the full moon glowing brightly.

"You really have a nice house out here Rick." Jenny said, looking around. "I could definitely get used to living here."

"Well, if you ever want to come for a weekend or a few days, just ask, I can have everything arranged."

"That's nice. Are you staying here for your whole vacation?"

"No. We're leaving in a few days to go to my dad's cabin for about a week." Kate answered. "When we get back, I'll need you girls to come with me to choose my wedding dress before I start showing too much."

"Oh don't worry girl, we'll be here." Lanie said, Jenny nodding enthusiastically.

The conversation continued for a while, until someone asked Kate something and she didn't answer. That's when they noticed that she had fallen asleep on Rick's chest.

"Well, little Caskett seems to pump all her energy." Esposito laughed lightly.

"Yes. Apparently the first few months are the worst in that respect. The other day she slept for three hours on the back porch." Rick said, caressing Kate's hair. "But it really suits her. She's so happy, preparing the wedding and the baby. She actually acts like a girl." He laughed.

"Shut up Rick." Kate grumbled in his chest, still not opening her eyes.

"Well, that's our cue to go to bed." Ryan announced, getting up and padding the sand off his pants.

All the others followed his example and soon Rick and Kate were all alone on the beach.

"This has been a really good weekend." Rick said, kissing the top of Kate's head.

"Yeah. It was really nice. I think we should have the wedding here." she said, cuddling deeper into Rick's arms.

"Really?"

"Yes. I love it here. And it's intimate. Unless you want a big ceremony in the city."

"Oh no, I'd prefer a small one right here. I've already done the big wedding in the city, thanks but no thanks. Here will be perfect, and the photos will be stunning." Rick said, smiling as he imagined the scene.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Three days later, Rick and Kate were in the car heading to Jim's cabin.

"Are you sure it was a good idea to let the house to Alexis and Jackson?" Rick asked for the umpteenth time since they had left the Hamptons.

"Yes Rick, it's a good idea. It's their last week of vacation together before they start working for the summer."

"What is Jackson doing again?"

"He works at a youth community center. He's in charge of the history study club there. I think he told me he's taking some of them to D.C. before school starts again."

"Does he has to be absolutely perfect?" Rick grumbled.

"Stop it Rick, you know you like him. He's good for Alexis. They complete each other. A bit like you and me don't you think? Now, at the next intersection, turn right and then just follow the road, it'll be about five minutes away."

When they reached the end of the road/trail, they arrived in a small village of a few dozen houses which seemed to have just appeared in the middle of the woods.

"What is this place? Are we in the Enchanted Forest?" Rick asked, turning to Kate.

"It's called Little Oak … for obvious reasons." She said, smiling as she looked around. "Go as far as the grocer's and then turn left."

Kate guided him until they arrived at Jim's cabin.

"Ok, I know what I'm getting you for your birthday: a dictionary. Kate Beckett soon-to-be Castle, this is not a cabin, this is a very big house!" Rick exclaimed as he killed the engine and looked at the house.

"It's a building made of wood, located in a remote place in the woods. It is a cabin." Kate replied, getting out of the car and fiddling with her keys. "You want a tour or you're spending the week in the car?" she asked, laughing when he rushed out of the car.

"This place is really nice!" Rick said, looking around the house.

"Yeah, it's really relaxing, and close to nature. It's perfect to cut yourself off from the world. It's been in my father's family for a really long time. He loves to come here because he can fish as much as he wants. There's a lake further down the woods and there are several rivers around the village." Kate explained as she opened the front door and went in.

When Rick entered the house, he was taken aback by what he saw. The interior was both rustic and modern. It felt really warm and familial. He completely understood why she decided to come here after she was shot. Even if he still wished he could have come with her.

"We should take the bags out of the car and unpack. We need to go grocery shopping but before I want you to meet someone." Kate said, going back outside for their bags.

Once they had unpacked in Kate's old bedroom – much to Rick's pleasure – they headed back to the village. Kate took Rick into a small street and led him to a front door. She knocked softly and took his hand, smiling brightly at him. He was just about to ask what was going on, when the door creaked open and a small woman appeared. Given the way she was walking and pulling a bottle of oxygen behind her, Rick decided she must be in her eighties.

"Katie! What are you doing here?" the woman exclaimed as she came and hugged Kate as tight as her frail body permitted.

"I'm great." Kate said, beaming as she returned the hug.

"You must be Richard. It's a real pleasure to meet you, son." the old woman said, hugging him tight. He could not help but wonder how such a small woman could be so strong. "You finally decided to make an honest woman of my Katie here. Took you long enough. You should know, she's stubborn, she needs you to push her. Don't be afraid of her, she barks a lot but she doesn't bite." she continued.

"Nana! stop it!" Kate intervened.

"You didn't call me last week Katie! I was worried about you."

"I'm sorry to ask but … who are you?" Rick asked, afraid of Kate's reaction.

"You didn't tell him about me? Why?" the old woman asked Kate.

"Well, I like to have you to myself and …"

"That is bullshit Katherine Beckett and you know it. Forgive my granddaughter's rudeness dear, I'm Lizzie Beckett, James's mother."

"Well, Nana, will you forgive me if I tell you that in about seven months you will be a great grandmother?"


	25. Chapter 25

**Here is chapter 25, enjoy!**

* * *

After their visit to Nana, Rick and Kate went to the grocer's to get supplies for several days. He didn't say anything to Kate about her grandmother. He knew she would explain why she didn't mention her before when she was ready. But he liked the old woman. She was full of energy for her 88 years and she had a lot of funny anecdotes about little and teenage Kate. Some that even her parents didn't know about. He really wanted to know though. And Lizzie had insisted several times that he needed to push Kate. He decided he would ask her that night if she hadn't tackled the subject by then.

When they got back to the house, they put the groceries in the kitchen and settled on the couch, Rick with his laptop and Kate with a baby magazine. She had something on her mind though, he could tell. She was torturing the corner of the page she was reading. Well, that she was pretending to read. Rick could tell because she had spent the last fifteen minutes on the same page and her eyes were not moving along the lines and pictures.

"Kate, what's going on? Are you feeling ok?" Rick asked, putting his laptop on the coffee table.

"Are you mad?" she asked quietly, not turning to meet his eyes.

"About your grandmother?" he asked. When she nodded, he continued. "I'm not going to lie, I was hurt that you hid her from me, but I'm sure you had a good reason. I'm not mad Kate, I promise." he said, moving closer to her when he saw a tear roll down her cheek.

"I'm sorry Rick. I really wanted to tell you about her but … I guess I was scared." Kate tried to explain.

"Scared about what?"

"She has always told me '_Katie, if you bring a boy here, you better be sure about him, he better be the good one_'. She made my mother's life hell at the beginning when she was dating my dad. She almost broke them up once. I think it was some test for her but my mom took it hard. She ended up loving Nana as her own mother but she never forgot their rocky start. I didn't want the same thing to happen to us." Kate said, moving into Rick's lap, cuddling into his arms.

"Nothing can break us up Kate. Not even your grandmother." Rick reassured her.

"She can be really scary you know. When I was here after I was shot, she came to stay here to help me but she was really mad. She scolded me every day for not giving mom's case up and building my life. She scolded me every time she found me staring at the back cover of one of your books. She always handed me my phone and told me to call you. I had to promise her to tell you how I felt otherwise she would not let me leave."

"I really like your grandmother." Rick laughed.

"You should have heard her when she called me to ask how my declaration went and she figured out I didn't tell you. I've never heard her like that. I was pretty sure she was going to come in the city and scold me as if I were ten again." Kate said.

"Well, I'm glad to know her now. She's really nice."

"Of course she's nice to you, your giving her a great grandchild. She used to look after children back in the city. She had opened a small day-care like facility where my grandfather worked. My father always told me he never really felt like an only child. He was always surrounded with the children of some of my gramp's colleagues."

"It's weird. I never heard either of you talk about her." Rick said.

"Well, they're not really on speaking terms. She never accepted the fact that he turned to the bottle after mom died. She told him to never come back to her as long as he was like that.. He's been sober for almost ten years now but he never dared go back to see her. When he comes here, he avoids her. And that's not difficult, she's an old lady. Her routine hasn't changed for the last thirty years. But I'm sure she knows when he's around. People talk around here. I think she's too proud to go and see him." Kate explained.

"Well then, I think the wedding will be a good occasion to reunite them." Rick said, kissing her lightly.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

After having decided not to bother about the past, Kate led Rick around the house. They walked slowly, hand in hand. Rick discovered a rather big garden, there was even a swing set in the back.

"I can totally picture you there, laughing while Jim was pushing you as high as he could and your mother yelling at him for it." Rick said, laughing at the scene he had pictured in his head.

"Well, you're not too far off. She was always yelling at him but not because he was pushing me too high. It was because he would swing with me. There used to be two swings and we would race to know who could go the highest and jump and see who'd go the furthest. I never won, not even once." she said, almost pouting at the end.

"If it makes you feel better, I bet you could take him now." Rick said, smiling softly.

"Yeah … but I really don't want hill to break his leg over this. I couldn't help be imagine my mother's face." she laughed. "And you better not do it with our child either!" she said.

"Why not? I did it with Alexis!" he protested.

"Yes, but you were young by then. You'll be 42 by the time he or she is born and like 46 by the time he or she can go alone on the swing."

"Are you calling me old?" Rick asked, a threatening look on his face but a smile on his lips.

"Not old. My father is old. Nana is old. You're just …. not really young anymore."

"You were not calling me old the other night. In fact, if I remember well, you were calling me God. And repeating it again and again, all night long. I think at one moment you actually bit the pillow so that you would not wake up your father who was sleeping in the bedroom next door."

"Ew Rick! Don't make me think about that! It's more than disturbing." Kate said, scrunching her face in disgust. "But I admit it. You're not an old man yet. You're absolutely perfect. Just how I need you. And it still works pretty well." she said, smiling as she put a hand on her stomach.

"Yeah, I know, I'm an awesome lover." he said, a devilish grin on his face.

"I agree." was all Kate had time to say before Rick kissed her passionately.

Things heated up pretty quickly. Kate broke away from Rick when she felts his hands slip under her shirt.

"Let's take this inside, I don't really want people on a walk around the lake to have a proof of how young you really are." she laughed, starting to run back towards the house.

Just as she was reaching the terrace, Rick scooped her in his arms and carried her inside, dropping her on the couch. As she landed not so gracefully, the TV clicked on. She threw the remote from under her onto the coffee table. Rick was ready to join her on the couch when the TV reporter got their attention.

"_News flash. Senator William Bracken was arrested earlier today and is being charged with fraud, drug trafficking and active part played in several murders. The senator will be incarcerated in a high isolation cell so as to prevent any contact with the exterior. He was being investigated by the FBI for several months now and the agent in charge, Special Agent Jordan Shaw, assured that everything was ready for a trial to start as soon as possible. She said she hoped everything could be prepared in the next couple of weeks, stating that everything had already been set up on the prosecution's side…"_

They were both distracted from the TV when both of their phones and the landline started ringing.


	26. Chapter 26

**Here is chapter 26, enjoy!**

* * *

The following morning, Kate and Rick were awakened by someone pounding on the front door. Neither of them got up, hoping that it was a dream or that whoever it was would leave them alone. They had gone to bed rather late due to the number of calls they received after the news flashes that had aired on every channel. When the pounding started again, Kate groaned and tried to push Rick so that he would go and open the door.

"Come on Kate, it's your house." he said, trying a good excuse to stay in bed.

"Maybe, but you're closer to the door. Now go open it before they kick it down." she all but order.

Rick finally moved, rolled out of bed, grabbed his robe and put it on as he left the bedroom. Kate could hear him call "coming" as he got downstairs. She heard him open the door and sighed. The pounding was finally over, she could go back to sleep. Just as she was settling back comfortably on her pillow, Rick called her from downstairs. She was not moving. She wanted to stay in bed. However, when she heard unfamiliar footsteps go up the stairs, she hopped out of the covers and had just time to put her robe on before Victoria Gates entered the bedroom.

"Kate, I'm sorry to interrupt your vacation but we really need to talk." she said gently, almost with a motherly tone.

Kate nodded and followed downstairs. They found Rick in the kitchen cooking some breakfast and pouring two cup of coffee and a cup of tea. The three of them took a seat at the kitchen table. Kate kept her head low. She would not be the one to start talking.

"I … I assume you've seen the news." Gates started, both Rick and Kate nodding. "We have to talk about what is going to happen now."

"Is it really over?" Kate finally asked in a really low and shy voice.

"Yes, it is really over." Gates said, taking one of her hands in hers. "It's going to take some time but he's not getting out of it. He can hire the best lawyers in the whole world, he cannot escape. Not anymore."

"What happened?" Rick asked. "I mean we know he was arrested but how did to come that?"

"It was all the FBI's doing. Agent Shaw and her team took care of everything. She told me that Montgomery sent her some papers before he died.

At these words, Rick and Kate looked at each other with wide eyes.

"These documents were very precise and pointed namely to Senator Bracken and the people he employed to do his dirty work. I know that you know more than you say, both of you, and I totally respect your loyalty to Captain Montgomery but I have to warn you. You may have to testify in court when the trial starts. Depending on the circumstances, you may not have a choice."

Kate nodded but didn't trust her voice to talk.

"Sorry if I'm rude but why did you come all the way here when you could have just called?" Rick asked, looking at Gates suspiciously.

For a while, no one talked. Gates seemed to be gathering her thoughts. She had to explain it clearly and yet sensitively. She looked at Kate, both afraid of and happy about what she was about to say.

"It's about my mother, isn't it? Just say it. What is it? He won't be charged with her murder because there are too many people in-between? Is that it?" Kate asked, getting angry.

"It is about your mother. But don't worry, Bracken will be charged and declared guilty for every little thing he did wrong. You have my word." Gates promised. "Well, I don't see how I can sugar-coat it so I'll just say it. Your mother is not dead Kate. She was placed in Witness Protection and sent to Africa to work for a charity there. She has been contacted and told that it was all over a week ago and she's supposed to come back to New York at the end of next week. They couldn't find an earlier flight. Since we're already Thursday, it should be about a week."

Victoria Gates looked at her star detective and felt her heart break. Kate was deadly white, her hands clenched into fists. She was shaking and heavy tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"Kate, are you ok?" Rick asked, putting an hand on her forearm, clearly concerned.

"No. I'm gonna be sick." she said, before getting up and rushing to the bathroom.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Kate was sitting in the garden of her father's cabin, looking around, lost in her thoughts. She startled when Rick came and sit down next to her.

"Here." he said, handing her a cup of tea.

She took it and cuddled into his side, breathing him in. His smell and his touch had always had a calming effect on her. And she needed to be calm right now. After fourteen years, she had discovered that her mother was not dead. She had discovered that everything she had built herself on was a lie. Rick could see that she was more shaken by the revelation she just had, who wouldn't! Hell, he had been shaken by the news. But most of all, he was afraid. Afraid of what it will mean for Kate, of what it would mean for their baby, for Jim. He could only pray that Bracken's trial would be as quick and efficient as possible so that they could all move on with their lives.

"Could you imagine leaving us?" Kate asked.

"What?" Rick asked, not really understanding where she was going.

"Would you consider leaving us, me, the baby, Alexis and your mother?"

"Yes." he answered honestly.

"What?!" Kate exclaimed, tearing herself off from his arms, the disappointment clear in her eyes.

"Depending on the circumstances, I would not hesitate to leave all of you if that meant you'd be free and safe. Of course I will never have to make this decision because I'm not the kind of guy to get in trouble." he said in a serious tone.

"Yeah right!" Kate said, a genuine smile on her face and in her eyes. "I would do it too I think." she added, looking at him. "If it could keep you all safe. Even if it would probably kill me to do it."

"Me too. It took me four years to get you, I'm not letting you go without a very, very, very good reason!"

"Do you think that's why she did it?"

"I'm sure that's why she did it. I don't know her personally – yet – but from what I heard, Johanna Beckett would never abandon her family if she had a choice to do it some other way."

"Do you think it's what is in the letter?" Kate asked, taking the envelope that had been next to her.

Gates had given it to her. She didn't have time to say who it was from. Only one person had this handwriting, and that person was Johanna Beckett. She had written one to her husband and one to her daughter as soon as she knew it was over. That's what Gates had come to deliver, in person. Kate had taken it with shaky hands, as if it were a sacred object. Well, to her it was. She had taken it everywhere with her since but she had not opened it yet. She was scared that opening it would break the spell.

"Would you … uh … would you open it for me please?" Kate asked, almost shyly, handing him the envelope.

Rick simply nodded and took it. He opened it slowly, taking care not to tear off the paper. He unfolded the letter and gave it to Kate. She kissed him lovingly before letting her eyes fall on the familiar handwriting.

"Ok, let's do this!"


	27. Chapter 27

Dear Katie,

You cannot imagine how strange it is for me to write those two words. I'd think just as strange as it is for you to read them. Anyway, I want to tell you so many things, to ask you so many questions … I don't know where to start!

I don't even know if you'll read this letter or if you'll throw it away. I know the news must have been a great shock to you. When they told me I could go home, I didn't believe them. I dreamt so often of that moment … I cannot believe it's actually coming true this time. Oh how many times did I dream of you and your father, of your lives, of your families!

I will never forgive myself for leaving you, even if it was not my choice. And I beg you, believe me when I say that I had absolutely no say in what happened. I was walking to the restaurant to join you and your father and I was attacked. Next thing I know, I wake up in a state-of-the-art hospital room with nurses speaking a language I did not even recognize. I've never been so scared in my life. When someone finally explained to me what was happening, I went crazy. They had to keep me in the hospital for a month because I could not stop crying and having breakdowns. When I finally calmed down, they explained everything again. I will never forget Agent Riley's look when I asked him when I would be able to go back home to you and your father, that look which meant 'if ever, in a very very long time'. I thought I was going to lose it again. They managed to convince me that it was for the best, for you as well as for me. I really had a hard time coming to terms with it but once they had told me the extend of that thing, I understood. I was certainly not happy with the situation but it was what was the safest for everybody.

I never imagined myself as a woman who would leave her family and I really hope you don't think I abandoned you. Because if I had been able to, I swear I would have come back to you and your father. I feel so bad for what you must have gone through. I had absolutely no news about you, not until a couple of days ago. The agent who came to tell us all it was over said she had worked with you on a case. That's when I learned that you were with the NYPD and hat you're very good at your job. But what shocked me most, she told me you were working with Richard Castle, the Richard Castle, MY Richard Castle! I would have loved to see that. You and the man you swore could not be more proud of himself. I would have paid to see the two of you together. I can still remember the look on your face when I told you you should read his books, just as if I had told you to go and shave your head.

Writing all that I realize that I missed almost half of your life. When I left, you had just left your wild child phase and you were becoming a responsible and beautiful young woman, but I have no idea of how you are going to be when I see you again. I spent a lot of time imagining you growing up to be the wonderful woman I'm sure you are now and I can't wait to see you, hug you and kiss you.

However, I would completely understand if you didn't want to see me right away. I blame myself for leaving you and I would understand if you do too I would really like to meet with you, even if it's just once, and explain everything to you. I would respect your choice if you didn't want to see me again, even if it would certainly kill me a little.

I hope to see you soon and hug you tight,

Your mom.

* * *

**To respond to some reviews i got for the previous chapter: wait for the few next chapter and you'll have an explanation.  
**

**as far as Kate reaction is concerned: explanation in the next chapter. Besides, i think it's a natural reaction. I don't see what's wrong with being happy to learn that your parent is not dead. Of course it's a shock but i think, personally, I'd be really happy before getting angry. Such a situation is different for everyone and i totally agree that she should be angry at her mother ... i just decided to wait for a bit, give them some time to find each other once more before dealing with the fighting ;-)**


	28. Chapter 28

**for those who asked, my twitter is stillhopefulfr. It's on my profile but I don't know if guests can access it ;-)**

**Anyway, here is chapter 28, enjoy !**

* * *

Kate was awakened by the feel of something on her stomach. When she opened her eyes, she was not surprised to find her fiancé pushing her night shirt up.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice hoarse with sleep.

"I can't keep my eyes off it. It's magic!" he said excitedly, caressing the small bump they had discovered a couple of days before.

"It's not magic Rick, it's biology." she said, smiling as she put her hand on his. "I can't believe it just appeared one day, I had thought it would come progressively. Well, I guess it did, we just reached the 'official bump stage' now. I really need to go dress shopping for the wedding in the next few weeks if I want to fit in my normal size." Kate said, her smile growing as she imagined herself trying on princess dresses. "Do you think my mom would like to come with me and the girls?"

"I'm sure she'd love to. Now, we better get up and ready if we want to be on time at the airport." Rick said, kissing her before getting out of bed and moving to the bathroom.

He was happy she was taking the news of her mother being alive so well, but he couldn't help but worry. What will happen when it really sinks in? Will she have a breakdown? Will she take it out on her mother? On him? On herself? He was taken out of his thoughts when he felt her arms circle his waist, her chest press against his back.

"I'm not stupid you know." Kate said, looking at him in the reflect of the mirror above the bathroom counter.

"I know, why would you say that?" he asked, really confused.

"I know you think I'm taking it too well, I can see it in your eyes. I'm not. It's just … it's that or spending days crying or wondering or brooding. So I chose the positive alternative. I know it's not going to be idyllic but after having read her letter about a hundred times, I decided to give it a chance. She didn't have a choice so I have to try to make the transition back here as easy as possible for her. Even if I know it's not going to last forever, I'd like for us to have a few days or weeks of normality." she explained.

"I know." Rick sighed. "And I understand. It's just … I don't want you to be disappointed that's all." he said, gathering her in his arms.

They stayed in that position for a few minutes, looking at each other in the mirror.

"I'll see my mother this afternoon." Kate finally said, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I can't believe she'll actually be here."

"She will be here." Rick reassured her, drying her tears. "Now, we don't want to be late picking up your grandmother. We should really get ready.

Kate nodded and kissed him for a while before undressing and walking in the shower. Everything had been planned after they decided to stay at the cabin once they had been told about Johanna. Jim had drove to join them for a few days before driving back to the city the day before to make sure everything was ready for Johanna's return. During his stay at the cabin, he didn't go and visit his mother, even if it was clear that he wanted to. When Kate had told him that Lizzie would go with them to the airport, he had smiled lovingly but didn't say anything. Rick and Kate would go and pick her up and drive to the city so as to have lunch at the loft before going to the airport.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

During lunch, Lizzie couldn't stop admiring her granddaughter and Rick's home. Since she didn't move a lot, it was certainly the most modern apartment she had ever seen. While Rick was clearing the table, Kate led her grandmother to the couch.

"Are you ok? Do you need anything?" Kate asked, planning on going to the kitchen to help Rick with the dishes.

"Yes, I need to talk to you."

"Ok." Kate said, sitting down beside her grandmother. "What is it? Is it because Dad will be there?"

"What? No, of course not. I want to know how you are felling about this whole situation?"

Kate sighed and lend back on the couch.

"I'm excited and terrified. I mean, I have lost count of all the times I dreamt about her coming back but now that it's actually happening, I don't know what to do." she confessed.

"Just follow your heart Katherine, you can never go wrong if you follow your heart." Lizzie said softly, smiling at Kate.

The two of them continued talking for a few minutes before Rick came to find them.

"Are you ready to go? We should leave now if we want to avoid traffic and be early at the airport." he said.

Both women nodded. Lizzie got up and went to get her coat. As Kate was following her, Rick stopped her, taking her hand.

"Are you sure you're ok?" he asked.

"No, I'm not. But I want to go and meet her. I don't know how I will react but I need to be there. I need to see her Rick."

"I know. I'm just … I don't like to see you sad or hurt that's all."

"I know. That's part of what I love you." she said before kissing him rather passionately. "Just promise me that you'll stay with me?"

"Of course. I'll never leave you Kate, and certainly not in a situation like that. Now come on, your grandmother's waiting."

"Can you … uh … can you hold me for a while before we go?" Kate asked, almost shyly.

"As if you had to ask." Rick said, pulling her into his arms. He could see throughout lunch that Kate was tensed and he felt better when he felt her melt against his chest and breathe him in.

From the coat closet, Lizzie Beckett was watching the two of them. She had been a bit mad when she found out that her granddaughter had not told her about Rick but seeing them like that, all the anger flew away. Kate was happy and that was all that mattered.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

As soon as they arrived at the airport, they were taken in charge by FBI agents. Kate certainly knew some of them but she didn't pay attention. She was too focused on moving towards where her mother will arrive, where they will finally be reunited. They were led in a special part of the airport, a secluded and protected one. Once they arrived there, they saw that Jim was already waiting, pacing in the hall. He stopped when he saw Kate, Rick and Lizzie. Nobody moved, paralyzed by the tension that could be felt. Finally Lizzie walked up to her son and hugged him tight. This was the trigger for him. It seemed as if everything was finally sinking in for him. For the second time of her life Kate saw her father cry, the first being at her mother's death. She turned into Rick's arms and could not stop the tears that had gathered in her eyes. Several minutes later, they were all startled by the opening of a door and a group of people walking out towards them.


	29. Chapter 29

**Here is chapter 29, enjoy !**

* * *

She was there. Somewhere in this group was her mother and yet she couldn't see her. Not yet anyway. When all the agents had cleared the surroundings, they left the room and left the family together. She could see her now. She would recognize her everywhere. Even after so much time. The picture was blurred because of all the tears that were gathering in her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. However, she saw her father moving slowly towards Johanna who was also crying. They hugged tight, both of them in tears but with huge smiles on their faces.

"Rick?"

"Yes?"

"Come with me?" she asked, starting to move to her parents.

"Always"

She walked forward slowly, as if she was scared her mother would disappear with every step she took. When Johanna saw her, she let go of Jim and froze.

"Katie?" she asked, as if she didn't believe the woman before her was her daughter.

That was all Kate needed to let go of Rick's hand and literally run into her mother's arms and broke down in tears. She had waited so long for that moment, she could not believe it was actually true. She felt relief pour out of her. She had thought she would feel joy, of course, but she didn't expect relief. She felt like an enormous weight had been lifted from her shoulders, as if her life could finally start again. This feeling had started when she met Castle a few years back. Until them, her life had been on pause, focused only on bringing justice to her mother. After meeting Rick, she had started to feel life come back in her again, and more and more as time went by. To the point where she thought she was back to her old self when they finally got together. But apparently, she was wrong. At that precise moment, crying in her mother's arms, she could feel that she was back. She was brought out of her thoughts when she felt her mother kiss her face.

"I can't believe you're so grown up! You're so beautiful!" Johanna said, not even trying to stop her tears any more. She took a step back to take a good look at her daughter, her hands secured in her. As she squeezed her daughter's hands, she felt it. She looked down and gasped.

"Oh my God! Is that an engagement ring ?" she asked, a huge smile on her face.

"Yes it is." Kate answered, matching her smile. She turned to look at Rick but didn't find him where she supposed he would be. He was sitting on a bench, comforting Lizzie who was crying her eyes out.

Kate took her mother by the hand and lead her to them, Jim going to hug his mother. When he saw them approach, Rick stood up and found that he was actually scared. He was going to meet his fiancé's mother for the first time. He felt like he knew her already, through everything Kate and Jim had told him, but actually seeing her stand in front of him … However, he did not have to start the introduction.

"You're engaged to Richard Castle?" Johanna asked, looking between her daughter and the man whose books she had managed to read throughout her time away. "You're marrying MY Richard Castle?"

"Sorry, but he's mine now." Kate said, laughing for the first time since her mother had arrived.

"It's a real pleasure to meet you Ma'am." Rick said, extending his hand for her.

"Please call me Johanna." she said, hugging him. The gesture was as much that of a mother as that of a fan who met with her favorite author.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

After about an hour spent at the airport, the whole family drove back to the loft for dinner. As soon as they arrived, Kate went to the kitchen, desperate for peanut butter. It was becoming a habit for her to eat it right out of the jar but Rick didn't say anything … he thought it was cute. He led everyone in the living room and joined her in the kitchen to bring the drinks.

"How are you?" he asked, hugging her from the side.

"Fine. Better than I would have thought actually. Maybe it's because I don't really realize it yet. We'll have to wait and see but I think it'll be ok. If feel so much better than I have in a long time! Just knowing she is alive is enough for me for now. I just want to make the most of it." Kate explained.

"I'm glad. But tell me if you need anything alright? I want to be able to help you if you need anything." Rick said.

"I know, don't worry. That's why I love you. You're always here when I need you … and even if I don't." she said before kissing him lovingly.

"Mmm, peanut butter." He said before gathering the cup of coffee and heading to the rest of the group.

Kate joined them a few seconds later, a new jar of peanut butter and a spoon in her hands. Rick was surprised, she didn't usually like people knowing about her cravings or intimate life details. But she was with family after all. She sat down beside him, pulling her feet under her and cuddling into his side, and looked at her parents on the opposite sofa, her father's arm around her mother. Seeing them like that, even if there were still a lot of things to be said, she realized how much she missed scenes like this, which had been frequent when she was younger. She was brought out of her thoughts when her grandmother called her.

"Katherine, why did you bring peanut better?" Lizzie asked.

"To eat it?" she answered, not sure of what she meant.

"Well, I thought your parents had brought you better than that. You don't eat right out of the jar. And certainly not when you have guests." Lizzie scolded gently.

Johanna, who had been lost in her thoughts too, startled when she heard these words. She looked at her husband who had a smile on his face and pride in his eyes. She turned to look at Kate and studied her.

"Katie?"

"Yes?"

"Am I going to be a grandmother soon?" Johanna asked, smiling like a mad woman.


	30. Chapter 30

**Here is chapter 30, enjoy !**

* * *

That night, Jim and Johanna stayed at the loft as well as Lizzie. Rick had prepared three rooms, a guest room and those of Alexis and Martha, not knowing if Kate's parents would share a room. It was bound to be weird between them after so much time spent apart. So just in case, he prepared three rooms. Once everything was ready, he went back downstairs and saw that Kate was in the kitchen, preparing dinner for everyone. He walked to her and hugged her from behind.

"Hey." He simply said, kissing her cheek. "What are you cooking?"

"I don't know. A mix of what we have in the fridge … which is not much since we haven't been here for the last three weeks."

"We could have just ordered in." he remarked.

"I know. But I wanted to cook. I need to keep busy right now. I don't want to think … about anything."

"Ok. But I'm here, whatever you need."

"I know." She said, smiling and kissing him lightly.

"Could you see if we have any vegetable somewhere? Pasta and cheese will not be enough." She asked. She did not want her mother to think she was not taking care of her family, and certainly not as she was pregnant.

Once the meal was ready, Rick dressed the table and everyone sat down. At first, the conversation was quite awkward. How do you start a conversation with someone you haven't seen for fourteen years? There was so much to say and yet nobody was talking. The atmosphere was heavy.

"So, Katie, tell us how Rick proposed." Lizzie said, hoping to alleviate the situation. Seeing how her granddaughter blushed, she changed her tactics. "I remember when James proposed to your mother. It was during a family dinner during the summer. Absolutely everyone was there and he looked so scared." She laughed at the memory.

"Well, I was scared. What if she had said no? I would have looked like a fool in front of the entire family." Jim said, looking like the mere memory of that day still scared him. "I think I would have fled the country if she had said no."

"Well, I did a good thing saying yes then." Johanna said, putting a hand on one of Jim's.

"Mom?" _God it felt weird to say these words_. "I'm going dress shopping for the wedding some day in the week with some friends. Before this one grows too much." Kate said, putting a hand on her stomach. "Will you come with us?" she asked, tears brimming in her eyes and her hand crushing Rick's knee.

"Of course, I would love to go with you, and meet your friends. I … I always dreamed of going with you to try on wedding gowns. I have to say this is a dream I thought would never come true." Johanna said, her own eyes filling up with tears.

"Can I come too?" Rick asked, already knowing the answer.

"NO!" the three women at the table exclaimed at the same time.

"Ok, ok, just checking. No need to yell at me." Rick said, pouting.

"You're not saying it before the wedding. And I will not keep it here because I know it will be too much for you. I'll let it at my da … at my parents'." Kate said, blushing slightly at what she nearly said.

"It's ok Katie. I understand that it will take time. We all need to get used to the idea of me being back." Johanna said, voicing what everyone had thought since they had the news of her non-death. Strangely enough, these words seemed to be all it took to alleviate the atmosphere and make the meal much more comfortable for everyone.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

When dinner was finished, Kate and Rick took everything to the kitchen while Jim, his wife and his mother moved back to the living room.

Once they were done with the dishes, Rick went to prepare some coffee and tea for everyone when he was stopped by Kate's arms pulling him to her. Before her had time to ask her what was happening, her mouth fused on his, making any idea of question fly out of his mind. When they broke apart, in desperate need of air, he smiled.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"Just to thank you for being here. For being you. I really don't know how I would deal with all of this if you weren't here. I think it would have broken completely." She said, smiling at him but not bothering to try and stop the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Well, you're welcome. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me forever."

"Good." She said, kissing him sweetly once more.

As things were getting heated, they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat next to them. They broke apart and blushed when they saw Johanna, arms crossed on her chest, looking at them.

"Well, now I know what was taking so long with the coffee." She said, laughing when Rick rushed to the coffee machine to get everything on a tray.

After having talked for a while, Kate noticed that Johanna was struggling to mask her yawn.

"Well, I think it's time for everyone to go to bed. It has been a rather emotional day and we could all use some rest." Kate said, saving her mother from appearing ungrateful by going to bed while they were all there for her.

Johanna smiled sweetly at her daughter and got up with Jim.

"Uh Katie? Do you have something I could wear to sleep? I don't have any of my things back with me. They'll be shipped sometime in the week." Johanna asked.

"Sure, come with me." Kate said, getting up and walking through Rick's office and in their bedroom.

When she turned around to ask her mother what she wanted, she didn't find her in the room. She walked back out and found Johanna looking at the picture of her and Rick at his graduation ceremony which was hung on the wall by the door.

"You look so happy." Johanna whispered, her eyes still fixed on the photograph.

"I was happy. I am happy. Even happier now." She said, taking her mother's hand in hers.

That was all it took for Johanna Beckett to break down. Kate led her to the bedroom, made her sit on the bed and went back to close the bedroom door. Rick entered the office just at that moment, concern clear on his face.

"She's not really well, I'll talk to her. Could you wait for a bit before coming to bed? I really need to …"

"It's ok Kate. Go take care of your mother. I'll take my laptop in the living room to give you some privacy." He said, kissing her before gathering his things and leaving the room.

Kate turned around and looked at the door of her bedroom. On the other side of this door was her mother. Her long lost and still alive mother. Even if both of them were tired, she could feel that the conversation they were going to have will be a long and very important one.

Taking a deep breath, she walked into the bedroom.


	31. Chapter 31

**here is chapter 31, enjoy!**

* * *

Kate sat down on the bed next to her mother and took her hand. She needed some sort of physical contact, just to make sure she was really here and that it was not another dream. Johanna seemed to have calmed down while Kate talked to Rick. Tears were still rolling down her cheeks but her breathing had gone back to normal.

"I'm sorry." She simply whispered.

"I'm not going to say 'it's ok' because it's definitely not, but it was not your fault. I know what you said in your letter was true, you didn't have a choice." Kate said, squeezing her mother's hand lightly but not looking at her.

"It was true. Everything I wrote was true, I swear."

They stayed silent for a long while, both of them trying to gather up the courage to talk about what the biggest problem was for them.

"I thought you will be angry." Johanna finally said.

"Me too." Kate answered. "And I think I'll be when everything really sinks in. For now, I think I'm still overwhelmed by the fact that you're here. You're not the only one thinking I'm reacting strangely well to all of that. Rick thins so too. He's just waiting for the moment I'll break down. He's worried, I can see it. But I just don't feel angry right now. I feel … kind of numb actually."

"You are lucky to have such a man at your side." Johanna said.

"I know. But really, I think I'm the lucky one. I don't say that to sound cheesy or anything but it's true. Given everything I did to him, how long I pretended not to understand what he wanted, I'm lucky he stuck with me. If the situation had been reversed, I would have left a long time ago. But he didn't. He's still here." Kate said, a happy smile on her face.

"What do you mean, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Well … you're not going to like the answer to that." Kate warned her mother.

"I don't care. I want to know about your life Katie. I know that my 'death' must have changed you and I'm ready to take responsibility for that. I don't want to hide anymore. No pun intended."

"Well, when you were … taken away from us … I sort of closed myself. From everything, from everyone … I just … I couldn't just go on like nothing had happened. And nothing made me madder than when someone told me 'your mother would have wanted you to go on with your life". When someone said that, I usually left, just so I would not be tempted to hit them. As time went by, I learned that the best way for them to leave me alone was to pretend I was fine and going on with my life. I did it so much that I lost myself in it. It's not until Rick came around that I really realized what had happened to me." Kate explained.

"And what did he do to change you back to who you were before?" Johanna asked. "Your father told me he had seen you come back to yourself when he started working with you."

"I don't know. There's not a specific thing. I mean, he was just himself and … it made me think. At first, I tried to block him out, but it didn't work. As time went by I guess my resolve weakened. And I finally admitted to myself what everyone had apparently known for a long time. But I still fought it. I really don't know why anymore." She admitted.

"I'm sorry." Johanna said once again.

"Well. What's done is done. You can't do anything about now so let's just forget it. I'm way better now anyway. Since Rick and I officially got together I can feel myself turn back to my old self and that's all that counts. But …"

"What?"

"I just … I can't stop thinking of what will happen if I die on the job. I don't want my child to grow without a mother."

"Like you did." Johanna finished her sentence.

"Yeah. No. I mean, I grew up in a happy family, it's just … I don't know, I guess my growing up was kind of stopped too soon. And please, don't say you're sorry, I know and you couldn't do anything about it."

Johanna nodded silently, fresh tears gathering in her eyes when she thought once more about what her family had to go through because of her.

"What I don't understand is … I saw the pictures of you in that alley, I still have them. And Dad … he went to the morgue to identify your body." Kate said, the thought coming to her for the first time. "How did they do that?"

"I don't know. My God, I didn't know you saw anything and let alone my body." Johanna said, letting the tears fall down. "I remember being attacked on my way to the restaurant, I guess I hit my head or something because when I woke up, I was in the hospital and definitely not in the US." Johanna remembered. "I'll ask the FBI agent who's in charge if she knows what happened. Someone has to know."

"What … uh … what did you do while you were … away?" Kate asked, looking at her lap and playing with her hands. There. She had asked the question that had been on her mind since the beginning.

"I worked for a charity which builds schools in small villages in central Africa. I was in charge of the legal stuff. Making sure no laws were being ignored so that the people against the education of children – girls in particular – couldn't do anything to prevent it. It was … good. I mean, at least I felt useful for some people, even if I would have preferred to be useful to you and your father."

"Please stop saying that." Kate said, getting a bit angry. "Stop saying that you would have preferred being here. I know that. But you weren't. And nothing will change that. We all need to accept that and move on."

"Ok." Johanna said, getting up from the bed. "Well, I'm going to bed. Today has been exhausting." She announced. She hesitated, wanting to kiss her daughter goodnight but settled on squeezing her shoulder before leaving the room.

Kate stayed there, sitting on the bed for a few minutes, thinking about everything. She moved to get ready for bed. When she got out of the bathroom, Rick was in bed, waiting for her. She took her time putting her close on her chair, Rick studying her the entire time. Once she settled in bed, Rick gathered her in his arms.

"Are you ok?" he asked sweetly.

"Yeah." She said, cuddling further into him. "No." she admitted a few seconds later before bursting into tears.


End file.
